Dunhill 1972 (First Year) Red Bark LBS 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.

The Red Bark is one of several discontinued lines within Dunhill’s history, and as such is among the shortest lived. Introduced in 1972, the Red Bark featured a sandblast finish and—as one can imagine—a red stain, in contrast to the dark burgundy of the Shell Briar. Except, depending on the year, the exact hue of this stain could be quite different. When the line debuted, the finish was more of a claret red; as the years progressed, it became a little more pink; 1976, after this change proved to be less popular with customers at the time, the stain was changed again to something closer to that original claret finish. In 1987, the Red Bark was discontinued for good.

This particular Red Bark is an early example, one that wears the line’s original, titular finish. In fact, as a 1972 make, it’s what you might call a “first year” Red Bark. Perhaps even more appealing is that it’s rendered in one of Dunhill’s most iconic shapes, the “LBS.” Debuting in the post-war years, the LBS, or “Large Billiard Slender” was a variation on Dunhill’s famous “LB,” or “Large Billiard,” which had itself debuted two decades earlier. As the name suggests, the LBS was a stout, traditional billiard design much like its older sibling, though one whose shank and mouthpiece had been lengthened and slimmed out a little. Also much like the LB, the LBS has since become an archetype of sorts for what a good billiard should be, with many a classically-inclined artisan having produced tributes to it in the over a half century it’s been around.

The condition is fair. Rim darkening, some inner rim charring, and minor handling marks.

Details: 

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.71″ / 43.43mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g