Dunhill (2000) Millennium Hallmark Shell Briar 5103 Sandblasted Billiard with Silver (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.

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.

But, even then, there are some Dunhill pipes that are a little more special than others, even among those mounted with precious metals. To commemorate the turn of the 21st century, a number of limited-release Dunhill pipes were made, one of which was the “Millennium Hallmark,” which sported an even thicker and more ornately engraved silver collar than other Dunhills of its kind. This is a large, group 5 example from that small series, with a beautifully craggy, ring grain rendition of the make’s first signature sandblasted finish.

The condition is fair. Some rim charring, chamber slightly over-reamed, and some finish fading.

Details:

Length: 6.3″ / 160.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.66″ / 42.16mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g