Dunhill (1970) Tanshell Sandblasted Squat Bulldog (Estate)

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.

First introduced during the interwar period, the “O” was one of Dunhill’s “Quaint” shapes, i.e., shapes that were somewhat unusual in design and produced in smaller numbers than their standard counterparts. Instead, they were, it seems, made simply when a given block of briar was especially well suited toward a certain shape. Along with shapes like the “LC” and the “LB,” it is one of the most famous examples of Dunhill’s non-standard designs, and one that is a firm favorite not only of collectors and smokers of English pipes, but also many a classically inclined artisan.

This one comes from Dunhill’s Tanshell line, a signature sandblasted finish that begins life in a natural, unvarnished state, before slowly turning a golden hue as it absorbs tars from the smoke that passes through it.

The condition is good. Minor inner rim charring, some finish fading, and some handling marks.

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.84 / 21.33mm

Bowl Depth: 1.01″ / 25.65mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 32g