1943 Dunhill Shell

[alaskanpiper]

Being a history fan I’ve been wanting a WWII era Dunhill for quite a while now, particularly a 1943, as that is my dad’s birth year. Unfortunately all the one’s I had found up until now were pricier than I could stomach, regardless of condition.

But! I finally found one for a price I could live with, a 1943 Shell, and it’s in pretty darn good condition to boot! I’m pretty sure the stem is likely a Dunhill replacement, since it is vulcanite and not horn, but the stummel (particularly the nomenclature) is in great shape!

Excited to have finally found one!

PS thanks to all those who weighed in on the separate thread regarding the mystery “-78”. Very interesting stuff!

 

[trouttimes]

Fine looking pipe! How does it smoke?

 

[spartacus]

Great looking pipe.

 

[lightmybriar]

Boy oh boy is that a beautiful pipe! Photos of the slot and the tenon would make determining the authenticity of the stem easier, if you get around to it!

 

[tbradsim1]

I’ve got a 43 ODA ROOT BRIAR my birth year, decent smoker, bought at SP , it was expensive, but not many war year pipes.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Fine looking pipe! How does it smoke?

Don't know yet! I've been down with the Flu for a week. I ship everything to my office and this is the first day I've been able to go in this week. I will probably spark it up sometime in the next week or so.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Boy oh boy is that a beautiful pipe! Photos of the slot and the tenon would make determining the authenticity of the stem easier, if you get around to it!

Wasn’t sure if by slot you meant mortise or bit, so here’s both as well as the tenon (which has a slight ding in it, and some crusties to clean up, haha).

 

[alaskanpiper]

I’ve got a 43 ODA ROOT BRIAR my birth year, decent smoker, bought at SP , it was expensive, but not many war year pipes.View attachment 20891

That's awesome! A big ol' boy. Yeah, they are tougher to find that's for sure. I'm pretty sure I got mine for a steal. Ebay of course.

 

[dmcmtk]

The stem does look like a Dunhill stem, going by the slot/button, and the angled "shoulder" at the stem end of the tenon. I've found giving the airway a good scrub with a wet pipe cleaner and Barkeeper's Friend is a good way to clean/polish it.

That's also a great looking pipe Brad!

 

[alaskanpiper]

The stem does look like a Dunhill stem, going by the slot/button, and the angled "shoulder" at the stem end of the tenon. I've found giving the airway a good scrub with a wet pipe cleaner and Barkeeper's Friend is a good way to clean/polish it.

That's also a great looking pipe Brad!

That's what I was thinking, is that it was a replacement, but a replacement done by Dunhill at some point. I only assumed it was a replacement at all though because of how unlikely it would be that a war era pipe started out with a vulcanite stem, I don't know anything for sure beyond that.

And yes, I have a similar method for airway cleaning I use on restorations. This guy needs very little work though, excited about that.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Oh , Thats a nice one Congrats,?

 

[lightmybriar]

Wasn’t sure if by slot you meant mortise or bit, so here’s both as well as the tenon (which has a slight ding in it, and some crusties to clean up, haha).

View attachment 20892
View attachment 20893
View attachment 20894

Dunhill indeed! That’s a superb addition to your collection!

 

[alaskanpiper]

Dunhill indeed! That’s a superb addition to your collection!

Thanks! I lucked out bigtime, don't think the seller knew what they had.

 

[BROBS]

Thanks! I lucked out bigtime, don't think the seller knew what they had.

Those are the best ones

like my unsmoked Peterson “briar” System that was white?

 

[cigrmaster]

Great score, congrats.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Those are the best ones

like my unsmoked Peterson “briar” System that was white?

Hahaha, yeah, you can certainly find quite a few from time to time. I always feel the tiniest bit bad..........until the pipe shows up

 

[mso489]

I assume this is briar. Is there any history on where the briar was coming from by 1943? Was it all pre-war inventory in England, or was there a trickle of it from war zones? Briar was so scarce in the U.S. that pipe makers were using Mountain Laurel and hardwoods. That's why for years after, U.S. made pipes were stamped "Imported Briar," to emphasize that those supplies of briar had been restored.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I assume this is briar. Is there any history on where the briar was coming from by 1943? Was it all pre-war inventory in England, or was there a trickle of it from war zones? Briar was so scarce in the U.S. that pipe makers were using Mountain Laurel and hardwoods. That's why for years after, U.S. made pipes were stamped "Imported Briar," to emphasize that those supplies of briar had been restored.

I'll let the Dunhill experts of the forum answer that one, I have no idea where they would have sourced the briar at that time, though If I had to venture a guess I would say some older stock was being used.

 

[ssjones]

The stem does look like a Dunhill stem, going by the slot/button, and the angled "shoulder" at the stem end of the tenon. I've found giving the airway a good scrub with a wet pipe cleaner and Barkeeper's Friend is a good way to clean/polish it.

That's also a great looking pipe Brad!

I agree, those details suggest legit.

 

[cshubhra]

Beautiful Pipe!!! Enjoy!