Dunhill 1966 Shell Briar 315 Sandblasted Prince 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 collectors are prone to debating precisely which of Dunhill’s years were the best for their pipes, but the 1960s do undeniably hold a place in the hearts of a great many of them. The stummels were oil cured, the sandblasts were deep and craggy, and the range of readily available shapes available was vast. This one, from 1966, is a richly textured, featherweight apple, strongly reminiscent of some of the earliest briar pipes. To say it has character would be a grand understatement.

The condition is fair. Rim darkening and some spots of char on the rim, some finish fading, and a dark spot on the bowl’s underside that, to me, looks like it resulting from something outside of the bowl, rather than being caused by a burnout. I’ve adjusted the price in any case to make this Dunhill more affordable than most.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.73 / 18.54mm

Bowl Depth: 1.08″ / 27.43mm

Weight: 0.8oz / 24g