Dunhill (1977) Tanshell 515 Sandblasted Dublin (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.

After the Bruyere, the Shell Briar, and the Root Briar, the Tanshell was Dunhill’s fourth line of pipes, first introduced all the way back at the beginning of the 1950s. Leveraging the immense success of the Shell Briar, the Tanshell was, as the name suggests, distinguished by its sandblasted finish, though instead of the Shell Briar’s burgundy hues, the Tanshell retained a minimal, and very natural, tan dress. This meant that, over time, a Tanshell’s bowl would color not unlike a meerschaum pipe, with the various residues from the tobacco burned in its chamber seeping into the briar and infusing it with a golden patina.

This one is rendered in Dunhill’s “515,” a large and somewhat less common Dublin rendition than I’m used to seeing. I think it may have been introduced in the 1970s, shortly before Dunhill’s shape chart was standardized toward what we’re used to today, which would explain its relative scarcity.

The condition is good. Some inner rim charring, finish fading, chamber slightly over-reamed, and some very small scratches on the mouthpiece.

Details:

Length: 6.1″ / 154.9mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.67″ / 42.41mm

Weight: 1.2oz / 36g