Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes

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guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
This Dunhill set sold for $2,205 just days ago:


And now it's up for sale from a French seller for half the previous selling price. (I can't provide the link as it's active)
Why go to all the fuss and bother of selling a pipe (or a set of pipes) if you can sell a picture of a pipe (even if you get a bit less)?
 
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guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
Yep, my notion too .
So far the "seller" did not respond.
Somewhere between 1921 and 1931. Split the difference and say 1926. Too little resolution to read the numbers, but the words "Dunhill's Shell Briar" were used during that point in time, according to Pipephil's elaborate and disjointed Dunhill dating guide.
Actually, we might be able to hazard a plausible guess that is a bit closer and a few years earlier. The white silk lining of the Ventage case--which looks a convincing original match to the three pipes (which in turn look convincing as a set)--is marked, "Alfred Dunhill Ltd/London." It lacks both the ostrich plume of the Prince of Wales and "New York" and/or "Paris." Dunhill obtained their first Royal warrant in 1921, opened their first New York store in 1922, and the Paris shop in 1924. Accordingly, this one probably dates to 1920. It cannot be much earlier since the Ventage case was apparently introduced in 1919 and patented in 1920.

As far as markings on the pipes themselves, at least one patent number is visible--Dunhill's 1917 patent for "oil curing" its shell pipes. Which would also be consistent with a 1920 date.

Finally, insofar as I have seen--in photographs if not live in the hand--everything about these three look right to me for so early a date--comparatively small, wonderfully "craggy" and (perhaps the strongest argument) the Fourth Edition of About Smoke from 1920 (with many illustrations of 1919 pipes) features an abundance of silver army mount style pipes (these do not however predominant in the Fifth edition). And so. Gentlemen, for whatever it may be worth, I rest my case.
 
Dec 10, 2013
2,317
2,943
Nijmegen, the Netherlands
1960 Dunhill Root Briar in very rare, or singular, 598 shape.
Fair price and I like it a lot . Any further info regarding the shape is appreciated.
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,305
Pennsylvania & New York
Someone sniped this old Ben Wade away from me at $56. Admittedly I didn't try very hard as funds are lean at the moment, and I have a few other examples of this more modest grade of Wade. The band isn't silver, rather it's electro-plated, hence the "EP" designation and the "B W L" faux marks rather than authentic silver date marks.

I was considering that lot as I collect CPF (and Medico to a lesser degree), but, the broken stem was a pass. The Wade was probably worth the price of admission alone.
 
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Dec 10, 2013
2,317
2,943
Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Actually, we might be able to hazard a plausible guess that is a bit closer and a few years earlier. The white silk lining of the Ventage case--which looks a convincing original match to the three pipes (which in turn look convincing as a set)--is marked, "Alfred Dunhill Ltd/London." It lacks both the ostrich plume of the Prince of Wales and "New York" and/or "Paris." Dunhill obtained their first Royal warrant in 1921, opened their first New York store in 1922, and the Paris shop in 1924. Accordingly, this one probably dates to 1920. It cannot be much earlier since the Ventage case was apparently introduced in 1919 and patented in 1920.

As far as markings on the pipes themselves, at least one patent number is visible--Dunhill's 1917 patent for "oil curing" its shell pipes. Which would also be consistent with a 1920 date.

Finally, insofar as I have seen--in photographs if not live in the hand--everything about these three look right to me for so early a date--comparatively small, wonderfully "craggy" and (perhaps the strongest argument) the Fourth Edition of About Smoke from 1920 (with many illustrations of 1919 pipes) features an abundance of silver army mount style pipes (these do not however predominant in the Fifth edition). And so. Gentlemen, for whatever it may be worth, I rest my case.
Thank you for elaborating, gives me a lot of information to chew onregarding my older ventage cases.
 
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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,632
44,860
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Actually, we might be able to hazard a plausible guess that is a bit closer and a few years earlier. The white silk lining of the Ventage case--which looks a convincing original match to the three pipes (which in turn look convincing as a set)--is marked, "Alfred Dunhill Ltd/London." It lacks both the ostrich plume of the Prince of Wales and "New York" and/or "Paris." Dunhill obtained their first Royal warrant in 1921, opened their first New York store in 1922, and the Paris shop in 1924. Accordingly, this one probably dates to 1920. It cannot be much earlier since the Ventage case was apparently introduced in 1919 and patented in 1920.

As far as markings on the pipes themselves, at least one patent number is visible--Dunhill's 1917 patent for "oil curing" its shell pipes. Which would also be consistent with a 1920 date.

Finally, insofar as I have seen--in photographs if not live in the hand--everything about these three look right to me for so early a date--comparatively small, wonderfully "craggy" and (perhaps the strongest argument) the Fourth Edition of About Smoke from 1920 (with many illustrations of 1919 pipes) features an abundance of silver army mount style pipes (these do not however predominant in the Fifth edition). And so. Gentlemen, for whatever it may be worth, I rest my case.
Excellent! Now, reconcile this with the stamping on the olive, "Dunhill's Shell Briar" that supposedly doesn't exist before 1921. Do these other factors indicate that the dating range for this particular stamp is incorrect?

Or, as is becoming increasingly popular a theory, is this proof that this set is an elaborate fake, created by the Rosicrucians which, when properly aligned between the Great Pyramid of Khufu, The Great Stone of Machu Picchu and the Lantern of Alexandria, will reveal the actual formula for making Coca Cola?
 
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guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
Excellent! Now, reconcile this with the stamping on the olive, "Dunhill's Shell Briar" that supposedly doesn't exist before 1921. Do these other factors indicate that the dating range for this particular stamp is incorrect?

Or, as is becoming increasingly popular a theory, is this proof that this set is an elaborate fake, created by the Rosicrucians which, when properly aligned between the Great Pyramid of Khufu, The Great Stone of Machu Picchu and the Lantern of Alexandria, will reveal the actual formula for making Coca Cola?
I'd personally go with Rosicrucians, Knights Templar, Freemasons, the Illuminati, Bilderberg, and Skull & Bones.

However, Loring (page 21) seems to say that the earliest stamp (1917-21) is "Dunhill's Shell Briar;"--which is exactly what appears on this set, and (page 22) that this was effectively shortened sometimes after 1921 to "Dunhill's Shell" when the words "Made in England" are also present. (I'm of course reading Loring in the original Romansh manuscript, perhaps the printer or later English translation garbles this point.)

As we all know there are plenty of exceptions to the Dunhill rules, and anomalies that have not been explained by anyone who actually worked on the shop floor. But I've always imagined that whenever a pipe had a limited amount of available "real estate" for stamping, they winged it, and decided for themselves what to give priority. As for stamping on olives--later pipes have much less than early ones. And obviously there isn't much room for info on metal army mounts.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,632
44,860
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
However, Loring (page 21) seems to say that the earliest stamp (1917-21) is "Dunhill's Shell Briar;"--which is exactly what appears on this set, and (page 22) that this was effectively shortened sometimes after 1921 to "Dunhill's Shell" when the words "Made in England" are also present.
So basically, Pipephil got it backwards when he set up the Dunhill dating guide. It Pipephil a Rosicrucian, perchance?
 

guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
All three of the Dunhill pipe shapes in the cased set appear in the 4th Edition of About Smoke published in 1920 (albeit in the smooth versions rather than shell, as one would expect): Along with the registration marks on their stems, we can read the shape code on the bottom of each olive: 101, 92, and ET.

Unfortunately for our purposes ALL the pipes illustrated in the catalogue with army mounts face rightward. So we cannot see what presumably was meant to appear on the other side or the bottom of the olive. However, the resolution of the image is more than adequate to see that pipes of this era were fully hallmarked with Dunhill's goldsmith's AD in a diamond (even if not high enough to read the letter date code or city of origin).


ABOUT SMOKE 4th ed p26.jpgABOUT SMOKE 4th ed p25.jpgABOUT SMOKE 4th ed p31.jpg
 
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guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
So basically, Pipephil got it backwards when he set up the Dunhill dating guide. It Pipephil a Rosicrucian, perchance?
Far be it for me to cast aspersions on Pipephil or risk the wrath of any other member of a powerful secret order for whom kings and presidents are mere pawns. But I admire your courage, Jesse.
 
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guylesss

Can't Leave
May 13, 2020
322
1,155
Brooklyn, NY
Unfortunately for our purposes ALL the pipes illustrated in the catalogue with army mounts face rightward. So we cannot see. . .
Errr. Make that leftward. (I would of course amend my original post to correct the single word oversight. But the five minute rule about editing, alas, prevents this.)
 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,323
11,093
Maryland
postimg.cc
Quite a few interesting Brit's ended this weekend.

Here is probably the earliest Dunhill CK shape that I can remember. it's in very a very un-restored state, but the bones look good. I think it's a 1955? The history of the CK shape is almost non-existant, but most of those sold are dated in the 60's or 1970's. I guess the bidders thought it was also rare, and it went for $732.


1664155044442.png
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,520
31,474
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Quite a few interesting Brit's ended this weekend.

Here is probably the earliest Dunhill CK shape that I can remember. it's in very a very un-restored state, but the bones look good. I think it's a 1955? The history of the CK shape is almost non-existant, but most of those sold are dated in the 60's or 1970's. I guess the bidders thought it was also rare, and it went for $732.


View attachment 171285
I think that’s from 1925!