Dunhill 1973 Red Bark ODA 848 Sandblasted Dublin 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 comes from 1973 and wears the line’s original finish. It’s a more uncommon example than most, however, as it also belongs to Dunhill’s “OD” series. Purportedly shorthand for “Own Design,” Dunhill’s “OD” series debuted during the interwar years, and was comprised of more unusual shapes than the company’s typical offerings, which were, as such, produced in far fewer numbers than their standard counterparts. Around the mid-century, Dunhill further formalized the series; there were pipes that were, with the Anglo-French tradition, of unconventional design; there were pipes that were, for the time, of unconventionally large size; and there were shapes that could be considered a little of both. The “OD” “848” was what Dunhill referred to in-house as a “semi-giant,” and could reasonably be considered an extra large version of the 137 Dublin.

The condition is very good. Minor wear to the rim, chamber slightly over-reamed, and some handling marks around the bowl.

Details: 

Length: 6.9″ / 175.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.94 / 23.87mm

Bowl Depth: 1.86″ / 47.24mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g