Dunhill 1950 R (Root Briar) O w/14k Gold Smooth Bulldog Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe manufacturer, and continues to produce some of the most treasured pipes a smoker can buy.

Though Dunhill pipes have always been something of a premier smoking instrument and have, in part because of this status, been coveted by collectors for longer than any pipe smoker alive today, some are particularly special. Some Dunhill pipes take the form of iconic shapes, such as the LC; some are of an especial vintage, such as the inter-war years; and some are mounted or inlaid with precious metals and stones. In other words, some Dunhills are more sought after, for one reason or another. In the case of this Dunhill, there are three reasons that make it more special than most—one for each of the examples just mentioned. The shape should be instantly recognizable to Dunhill collectors, being the Quaint Shape “O” squat bulldog. While it is technically absent from Dunhill’s catalogs today, it has nonetheless captured the hearts of English pipe enthusiasts, including many renowned artisans who have produced their own renditions over the decades. The pipe’s vintage is 1950, situated near the tail end of what is commonly known as Dunhill’s patent era. This is why the pipe is stamped “DUNHILL” over “LONDON,” with the finish designated simply by an “R” (Root Briar) rather than named under the Dunhill nomenclature. Finally, the pipe is mounted with an original, solid, 14 karat gold collar, something Dunhill has typically reserved for its finest pieces—and which it has always done at a heavy premium.

For a 75 year old pipe, the condition is remarkably good. There are, however, some minor patches of rim darkening and slight inner rim charring, along with some slight handling marks and light scratches on the gold collar and stem.

Details:

Length: 5.3″ / 134.6mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.20″ / 30.48mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g