Dunhill 1990 Chestnut 3108 Smooth Bulldog w/ 9kt Gold 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.

Dunhill pipes are special. This is something that the Alfred Dunhill company has tirelessly worked to make known over the last 120 or so years, whether through poaching the greatest talents of the day, aggressively safeguarding its manufacturing techniques and other intellectual property, and, of course, by producing consistently excellent pipes. But, as the idiom goes, some Dunhills are more special than others. Some hold historic significance or especial provenance, some are of unconventional or rare design, and so on, contributing to their greater value in the present. In terms of pipes that are extra special both in the context of when they were first manufactured and in contemporary collectors’ circles, one notable example would be Dunhills that were mounted with precious metals, such as sterling silver or solid gold. Production of such pipes has always been scarce, often being advertised by Dunhill themselves as an excellent gift or award for the lucky pipe smoker in one’s life.

In the case of this pipe, we have a rather rare example of a 9 karat gold-mounted Dunhill from the Chestnut line. The Chestnut was introduced in 1982, and features the same top-coat and cumberland stem as the Dunhill Cumberland, but in a smooth finish, rather than the latter’s sandblast. Given that the Chestnut is a comparatively much younger than most other Dunhill lines, and that gold mounts are typically reserved for Root Briars and limited edition pipes, a Chestnut like this one is not a common sight.

The condition is very good. Some rim darkening and minor handling marks. The pipe comes with its original box and sleeve.

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.05″ / 26.67mm

Weight: 1.3oz / 38g