Dunhill 1960 Shell Briar 251 Sandblasted Billiard 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.

While I shouldn’t play favorites, I must admit that the mid-century Dunhill shape 251 holds a special place in my heart. Long, slender, and almost impossibly lightweight, it has a certain “Bing” quality to it, even if it isn’t quite as long as Bing billiards are considered these days. This one is from 1960 and, true to the renown of that period in Dunhill history, it shows off the craggy, oil-cured sandblast through which the Shell Briar achieved its iconic status.

The condition is fair. Some darkening and charring on the rim, minor residual oxidation on the stem, and some finish fading.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.49″ / 37.84mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 26g