Dunhill 1967 Shell Briar 36 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.

Dunhill’s Shell Briar holds a special place in the history of pipes, having been the first patented sandblast, registered in 1917. In the over 100 years since, the Shell Briar has remained remarkably consistent. While other Dunhill lines have come and gone, or been modified to suit contemporary tastes, the Shell Briar and its deep, dark brown-burgundy stain has persisted, thanks in no small part to its loyal following. With that said, the approach taken by Dunhill in decades past when it comes to the Shell Briar finishing does exhibit one difference compared to its modern iterations: the sandblasting. Older Dunhills, such as this one from 1967, underwent a patented oil curing and sandblasting to create the signature Shell Briar relief, with the results often being exceptionally craggy. This shape 36 certainly is, and it is not without reason that it was pipes such as this one that captivated artisans decades later, such as Bill Taylor and J.T. Cooke, and served as inspirations for their own, famously tactile, sandblasts.

The condition is fair. Some rim charring, general finish fading, and slight tooth chatter, and what looks to be a replacement stem.

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm

Bowl Depth: 1.56″ / 39.62mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g