Radford 503 Smooth Straight Billiard Estate Pipe - Vulcanite Fishtail Stem, 9mm Filter

The shank carries a single stamp: Radford 503. That is the whole of what the metal and vulcanite will tell you about who made this pipe and when, and we will not fill the gap with a guess.

This is a straight billiard, smooth finish, stamped Radford 503 on the shank. A light-coloured acrylic band sits at the join, ahead of a tapered vulcanite stem cut with a fishtail slot, bored for a 9mm filter.

The billiard is the pipe most collectors learn the hobby on: a cylindrical bowl set at a right angle to a straight shank, walls rising evenly from a flat base, no bend, no flare, nothing to distract from the proportion of bowl to shank to stem. It is the shape every other shape is measured against - a bulldog is a billiard with diamond shank and rings cut into it, a pot is a billiard shortened and widened, a lovat is a billiard with a saddle stem and a shorter shank. Held in the hand or set in a rack, a billiard shows its lines plainly, which is exactly why makers use it to show off a good piece of briar or a clean stem fitting with nothing else competing for the eye.

The band on this pipe is acrylic rather than metal, described as light in tone. An acrylic band does the same job a nickel or silver ferrule does on other pipes - it reinforces the mortise where shank meets stem and gives a clean visual break between briar and vulcanite - without the weight or the tarnish risk of metal. The stem itself is vulcanite, tapered rather than saddle-cut, finished with a fishtail bit: the slot widens toward the tip in two flat wings rather than a single button, spreading smoke across a broader area of the tongue and giving a slightly cooler, softer draw than a narrow single-slot bit. The 9mm filter bore accepts a standard 9mm filter or can be smoked filterless with an adaptor, depending on the owner's preference.

Finish and grain: see the photographs. The note describes the finish as smooth rather than sandblasted or rusticated, which means the briar has been sanded and polished to show the wood surface directly rather than textured to raise the grain.

THE MARKS
- Stamped on the shank: Radford 503

Pre-smoked, described as being in good condition. A tiny stain and faint scratches are noted around the briar. No cracks, fills, or repairs are noted. Buyers should refer to the photographs for the exact placement and depth of the surface marks described.

THE MEASUREMENTS
- Length: 143mm / 5.7 in
- Bowl height: 50mm / 2.0 in
- Bowl width: 38mm / 1.5 in
- Bowl (chamber) depth: 43mm / 1.7 in
- Stem/shank diameter: 20mm / 0.8 in
- Weight: 1.5 oz
- Filter: 9mm

A chamber this deep, at 43mm, holds a full bowl of tobacco and rewards a slower cadence of smoking than a shallow bent. At 38mm across, the bore is wide enough for an easy pack and an even burn to the bottom without much tamping.

Ships from the Faridunhill / Pipe Collectors Encyclopedia archive. Worldwide shipping and professional sanitation on every estate pipe.

SKU: 401

SKU: `401