Dunhill 1969 Shell Briar ODA 806 Apple 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.

This particular Dunhill belongs to the rare, “OD” series. As historian John Loring recounts, post-war OD designs, such as this one, were distinct in shape and/or in size from Dunhill’s standard offerings. The 806, seen here, was a little of both, being a larger, fuller rendition of the traditional apple shape than others in Dunhill’s mid-century catalogs. This one shows off a fittingly rugged sandblast for the period, though curiously it has multiple date stamps. It appears to have been made in 1969, but sold at a later date. For reference, if Dunhill pipes were returned to the factory—for instance, if a vendor closed down and had unsold Dunhills in their inventory—Dunhill would stamp another date code on it for the year it was redistributed.

The condition is fair. Some handling marks and finish fading, and a slightly over-buffed stem.

 

Details:

Length: 6.4″ / 162.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.68″ / 42.67mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g