1980 Dunhill 51033 18k Gold Spigot Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

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.

Every once in a while, Dunhill produces a truly special pipe. That’s not to say that regular Dunhills are not special, but even a luxury pipe company like Dunhill produces more “occasional” pieces that are completely inaccessible to all but their luckiest (and let’s be honest, also their wealthiest) clients. These range from the rare Dead Root and Amber Root series, all the way to something like the recent Eiffel Tower set, of which only one was made, and which retailed for the equivalent of two and a half million dollars. While this particular Dunhill is not quite as dear as the latter, it is still an incredibly rare piece. This is mainly due to the ornate, 18 karat gold spigot mount it features. While gold spigot Dunhills are not unheard of, they are typically simple and functionalist in design. The goldsmithing on this one, on the other hand, is far more artistically inclined. I reached out to former head of Dunhill’s mountings department, Mr Leslie Wood, to ask if he knew who might have been responsible for this one. Oddly enough he knew exactly who had mounted it, as it was him.

 

-J.M.

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.5″ / 38.10mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g