Dunhill 320 Opera Dating/Tenon Question

[alaskanpiper]

Any Dunhill experts know the story with dating the 320 Opera shape? The nomenclature seems to defy the pipehil dating key due to the “Dunhill” over “London” stamping.

It seems the consensus is to date it as though it were stamped normally when it comes to the year suffixes (1960+ suffix). Can anyone confirm this?

Also, this pipe has a screw tenon. What’s that about?

 

[OzPiper]

Not a Dunhill expert by any means

"8" (NO underscore) after England = 1968 (1960 + 8)
The "8" is the same size as the "D" (in ENGLAND)

Seems to me the tenon is stuck in the mortise
If turning clockwise doesn't free it, try the freezer trick
The screw part belongs with the stem

Very nice pipe, BTW

 

[georged]

I think the tenon is a repair that came unscrewed when the glue let go.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I just got one too, from 1963 I think. Anyways I found this old listing at SPC which refer to the finish as “pre-dress”.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/england/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=57638

 

[alaskanpiper]

Thanks gents. And yes, I figured as dark as it is it was likely a “pre-dress” as well.

 

[AroEnglish]

No answers from me but that’s a looker.

 

[alaskanpiper]

It was in fact a push tenon repair, a quick clockwise twist removed the push tenon from the mortise. Should be a very easy fix.

Still no definitive answer on the unique stamping on these 320s, but my guess is that because they had no name for the finish, they just used Dunhill over London, and that they are in fact dated as usual making this likely a 1968 (despite the raised-ness of the 8, it is not underlined Or definitively small).

 

[Ahi Ka]

Here’s the stamping on mine

 

[alaskanpiper]

Here’s the stamping on mine

View attachment 235841View attachment 235842

Mine is exactly the same, just an 8 instead of a 3.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Do you think the shank accent is ivory?

 

[alaskanpiper]

Do you think the shank accent is ivory?

Sure looks like it.