I'm no Dunhill expert, but I think perhaps the pipe is from 1924 --- the underlined 4 after the pat. would indicate so --- what's confusing is the 12 after England, which usually means 1932 --- is it possible that this pipe was made in 1924 and not sold (with the 12 being added at the time of sale) until 1932?!?!?!? Who knows?
1922 - 1925 - Date Code. From 1922 on pipes can be reliably dated based on the date code stamping that immediately follows either the "MADE IN ENGLAND" or patent stamping and is generally found either raised and/or underlined. "2" indicates 1922, "3" 1923, "4" 1924 and "5" 1925.
- John Loring
The early Dunnies can be confusing.
I have a Dunhill Bruyere with clear 1920 stampings (i.e. a "D" without tails rather then with tails) except for an equally clear raised underlined "1" date code. One could view this as simply an inconsistent "DUNHILL" stamp use, on the other hand knowing that Dunhill has long had a history of supplementary stampings dating back to at least 1922, it seems far more likely to me that this pipe was manufactured and initially stamped in 1920 but remained unsold at the time the one year guarantee was introduced in 1921 and received a supplementary date code stamp at that time.
- John Loring
I'm pretty sure that the pat. # here was used only up until 1926, so that verifies the early age, but the 12 after England is indeed an odd mystery...any Dunhill experts can get me hip?
...look for the date code--generally a small digit, which can be placed variously on the pipe on the right side (sometimes after "INNER TUBE", sometimes after "MADE IN ENGLAND", etc). If it is a single digit between 2 and 9, then you have determined the year of manufacture (2, for example, representing 1922 and 7, for example, representing 1927). If it is an 0, however, or a double digit then the pipe was made later. 0 would be the code for 1930 and 11 would be the code for 1931.
- John Loring
Looking at PipePhil reveals a lot, but I'm still confused!
http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/dunhill/patent1.html
If the 105 is the shape #, then it is a small pipe, a Grp. 1 size
The seller should also have a picture of the box stampings, it's pretty incredible the difference that can be made if the box is original to the pipe (correct shape # corresponding to the pipe) --- if it ain't the original box, many collectors will discount and disregard it altogether in forming a threshold price...speculation on my part, but I believe this to be the case.
I await the day I make such a discovery - the chances are good because they made so many and they were often given as gifts which went into a closet or attic at some point --- this pipe was such a discovery and it has the same 4 after the same pat.#, but no # after England...
http://drgrabows.wonko.myfreeforum.org/index.php?component=content&topicid=3702&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
...it's all very interesting ain't it?
:P