1961 Dunhill Root Briar 54, Group 2 Bent Billiard Estate Briar Pipe [SOLD OUT]

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.

This particular Dunhill is from the make’s acclaimed Root Briar line. Introduced in 1931, Root Briar pipes were among Dunhill’s most expensive offerings, requiring perfect grain in order to make the grade. Between 1931 and the 1960s (when this pipe was made) Root Briar stummels were made exclusively from Corsican briar, due to the quality of the briar and the grain patterns it naturally held. One can see these patterns on this pipe, with chatoyant bird’s-eye grain covering its bowl and shank.

The condition is very good, especially for a pipe during one of Dunhill’s most celebrated decades of manufacture, the 1960s. The golden stain of the Root Briar finish still has its sheen, the vulcanite stem is without tooth damage, and the rim is, aside from a hair of inner lip darkening, in good shape.

One thing I will mention is that this Root Briar is chambered for 6mm filters. As I don’t know the exact year that Dunhill began producing 6mm filter pipes, I cannot say for certain whether this pipe has been modified by its previous owner or not. Buyers will have to make up their mind on that one. However, those who prefer classic English pipes, but are partial to filters, such as the balsa filters made by Savinelli, may find that this is the perfect pipe for them. It can, however, be smoked just as easily without one.

 

Details:

Length: 5″

Bowl Width: 18.5mm

Bowl Depth: 1.4″

Weight: 0.9oz / 26g