Is Dunhill Pipe Brand Worth It?

[jpmcwjr]

This is how to add photos to your post using the site's photo album:
1.) Login

2.) Go to My Account (may have hit Home button first) and mouse down to Album.

3.) Choose Upload Picture (navigate to photo you've given a sensible name to), be sure to then hit Upload.

4.) Go back to Album, click on thumbnail to open full size image. Right click (Windows); Control Click (Mac) and select "copy image location" (its URL).

5.) Return to your reply window in the thread and click on the IMG button at the top of the compose window.

7.) Paste the image location into the window and click OK. (You can paste over the existing http://)
Images tend to be smaller than hosting site's size, but can be full sized if you remove the pixel limitation, (-600x360)— the numbers and the dash preceding, leaving no spaces, and ending in .jpg

 

[mso489]

I think people who will pay up for a Dunhill, new or estate, are anointed by their desire for one. So far, it's not me. I'm thrilled with my Italian Stanwells, my Savenellis, and my Petesons, not to mention my Chacoms, Genod, and BC's, not to allude to my Kaywoodies, my Yello-Bole, or my Rossi's, and omitting my Ferndown, my Ser Jacopo, or Nordings up and down market, and other brands and artisanal pipes too numerous to mention. If I wake up in the middle of the night realizing I've received the call, I will check his prices with foggymountain, and if he's "holding and not folding," I'll shop other estates or go to Al Pascia. So far, I'm thoroughly enjoying piping without the Dot. Oh, and did I mention my Jerry Perrys collected over 16 years and my Bob Hayes, great N.C. pipe carvers?

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Speaking of brand new Dunhill prices seen online ,I suspect the most affordable(still out of my reach) retailing prices are offered by England based tobacconists or am I wrong in my assumption?

 

[mso489]

If I'd spent the same amount on Dunhill's only, rather than this ragtag variety, I'd have a much smaller rack of pipes with a more lofty provenance. I find the variety entertaining, and the difference between my up-market pipes and the others is not so striking as to impel me to spend more. Even my funky little small-bowled push bit Kaywoodie panel pipe does nicely with Virginia flake. I think all of them serve a good purpose. I've thought of consolidating and trading up. Naw.

 

[bigpond]

The interesting thing for me is watching the prices for the average pipe ramp up while dunhill remains steady. In the last several months spc has debuted several new carvers with the average price in excess of $400, plenty reaching up to and above $1200. In each case the carver has a handful of years (at best) experience and there will be zero comment about the quality of the wood because, don’t you know, all you need is to grab a fresh block from of a Mimmo sack and orient the grain right? Upon his retirement, Rad was asking approx 350/pipe. Now a guy that barely qualifies as an apprentice can ask for double?
Back to Dunhill, it’s probably been mentioned several times over by now but these pipes are bench made. The Frazied blocks are imported to England and then hand finished. The hand finishing is exactly what every artisan pipemaker does. The preceding step is most relevant if you are orienting grain or following the grain to shape (as in classic danish freehands, for example).
I have plenty of artisan made stinkers and ironically no bad factory pipes so perhaps I am unfairly biased, however, buying from a decent vendor should allow you to sidestep any issue associated with obvious misengineering (booyah). So, if you. find a dunhill you like and can swing it, go for it. It may well be your best ever pipe. Can’t really put a price on that.
PS-I’m late to this party...are we still talking about dunhills or have we moved on to instersting things like bowl packing? Frank question.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Bigpond: I like your sense of humor,yes I do, referring to on how you had finished your post,Lol

 

[bnichols23]

Bigpond, I'm with Paul -- you are jes' soooo baaad.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I give Dunhill a lot of shit, but they do make a good solid pipe. My biggest gripe is the straight billiard I got years ago that wouldn't pass a pipe cleaner, and expected more from a maker with such a reputation for quality. I wouldnt use my '74 Dunhill zulu for yard work if it wasn't a tank, and after all of that sun exposure, the stem hasn't shown any sign of oxidation, and it's the only pipe I can smoke CB Grape in with no gurgle or tongue bite.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Btw, I like the grape and it reminds me of my favorite gum, Big League Chew. With dentures however, that's no longer an option and the CB tastes just like it.

 

[jaytex1969]

Frankly, I never expected to have a Dunhill.
I blame it on you fellas. "Gotta get a birth year..." :roll:
Then that damned site sponsor figured out exactly what my mental budget limit was...
Anyways, I agree with rigmedic. Though a very small shape, my little '69 poker IS light for its size.
Smoking quality, as good as most others, not really better nor worse. Some heat management concerns, I think appropriate for a pipe that small and light.
Unless I were to develop a bad case of disposable income, I'd likely not pay asking price for a new one, especially since I am greatly satisfied with the many equally attractive and much less expensive occupants of my pipe rack.
I can appreciate the desires of others. Whatever your "thing" is, these creature comforts are why we work hard and part of life's enjoyment. I won't spring for the new Dunhill and many of you would cringe at what I have paid for a rusty old military surplus rifle.
Besides, us tightwads need you white spot lovers to buy new, break in and sell off as estate pipes our great bargain treasures!

 

[mso489]

I do have a Ferndown, and Les Wood its carver and metalsmith, worked at Dunhill for many years, so in effect I own a Dunhill in an around the corner way ... courtesy of a Forums member who was so astonishingly generous as to send it to me with some tobacco I liked and he didn't. Or perhaps, more correctly, I own an artisan pipe by a carver schooled by Dunhill. I'll admit, it's one of my best.

 

[warren]

So ... it's a Dunhill once removed?

 

[jaytex1969]

It's a Dun-In-Law! :rofl: