1960 Dunhill 320 FT Group 4 Opera Estate Briar Pipe

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.

Before the Black Briar (introduced in 1970) and before the Dress (1979) Dunhill explored dark brown finishes for their opera shape pipes. Instead of the sterling silver used to band the shank on the Dress finish pipes, Dunhill’s ‘London’ opera pipes used a different, more ‘organic,’ white material, as seen on this one. So as to not upset eBay’s algorithm, I will simply say that the ring is made from the horn of an animal that famously never forgets – and that, while this 1960 pipe is not prohibited for sale or use, if it had been made today, it certainly would be. Disclaimers aside, this is an absolutely beautiful Dunhill pipe, one that will fit easily into a breast pocket (which is what the shape was intended for), and which is unbelievably lightweight, at just 24 grams. It’s also an exceedingly rare pipe, one that collectors are likely to greatly appreciate.

The condition is good. There’s some rim darkening and finish fading around the top of the bowl, but this won’t impact its smoking properties.

 

Details:

Length: 4.6″ / 116.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.87 / 22.09mm

Bowl Depth: 1.3″ / 33.02mm

Weight: 0.8oz / 24g