Contemporary Dunhill pipes

[alexl]

My respected local tobacconist which works in this business for at least 50 years told me that contemporary Dunhill pipes are not worthy even quarter of the price they ask for them. So gloomy?

 

[neverknowsbest]

They're not bad pipes at all, but for the money, there are many better options available. I think they just get a bad rap because they're one of the few pipes made today that you pay a considerable premium for the brand name whereas most other pipes are competitively priced based on their quality of construction alone.
EDIT: And nicer, older Dunhill pipes can be had for around the same price, if not cheaper in some cases, than the new ones.

 

[hfearly]

I have recently acquired a 2001 Dunhill 2103 shape pipe. It has beautiful grain, a fantastic sandblast, is drilled dead on, has a great open draw, and is light as a feather. BUT, it smokes no better than my 3$ Missouri Meerschaum. I paid 100$ (new retail price starts at 500$+ depending on finish for this shape). Would I pay full retail price? NEVER! I'd rather give that money to one of the great pipe artisans of this time. However, if you ask me if the pipe was worth the 100$, I'd answer with a resounding yes. The little beauty is my 'dress' pipe. An analogy: a 10$ T-Shirt from Walmart will keep me as warm as a 120$ Boss Dress Shirt, but I wouldn't wear the T-Shirt to the Opera ;-)

 

[mso489]

I have longed for a Dunhill, and since I'm not going to budget for one, I guess I've dreamed

of finding an oldy in good shape at a yard sale for a song (low price). Still, I think that is

more for the aura and tradition than for the pipe itself. They are traditional in design, if

not downright stuffy, and you get into the four to five hundred dollar range for even the

least expensive Dunhill with a medium sized bowl. For half or a third the price, sometimes

less, you can get pipes that are striking, dazzling, breathtaking ... whatever. Artisans are doing

these amazing things with two or more finishes, textures, materials, and taking even traditional

designs and tweaking them just a little for incredible results, complex or blood simple. So,

though I wish I had the finances to add a couple of those elegant new Dunhills to the rack,

I'm a contented pipe smoker without them. They are the best of their kind, but not the

best of all pipes in many categories. Definitely some of the more expensive.

 

[numbersix]

It's interesting that your tobacconist feels this way. I wonder if he's basing this on his own direct knowledge or the general consensus.
I have a newer Dunhill, a 2001 ODB sandblast and I have to say, it couldn't be a finer pipe. Extremely lightweight and the draw is perfect. Fit and finish is also superb. Super impressed and by far the best pipe I own.
Foggymountain (a member of this forum) is a Dunhill fan and has many Dunhills dating way back. If I recall correctly, he once said he felt the newer ones were equal to the old.
So I personally feel the jury is still out on this issue. No maker can claim that 100% of their pipes is perfect and I am sure anyone who receives a mediocre Dunhill will be very disappointed and many may even broadcast it loudly on a forum.
But, is a new Dunhill worth the price? IMHO, if you can afford it, then yes.

 

[fishnbanjo]

I wonder if his tobacconist has received the latest offerings where it is simply called the One Spot and Dunhill appears nowhere on the package or the pipe.

 

[kashmir]

Yeah, these "Is a Dunhill worth it?" threads seem to pop up like clockwork, on every forum I've ever been on. Seems you can set your watch to them. Simple answer is yes, if you can afford them. And no if you can't. Dunhill makes a great pipe. But so do like 500 other brand pipes, both frazed and artisan. The point to remember is that you can have a stellar smoke in a five dollar cob or a $30 estate pipe. So, smokability has little to do with price IMHO. Seems like I've written this a thousand times before. Say, weren't we just doin this with Comoys on another thread?

 

[tbradsim1]

Kas you are right, when I used to go duck hunting I killed as many or maybe more with my Model 12 than some of the sports with the high dollar shotguns, did I get some looks like them with their equipment NO, but the ducks I killed made as good a Gumbo as theirs. The old cajun

 

[kashmir]

Yep. I've gotton in trouble (hehe) on other forums stating that as far as smokability goes, price ain't the measuring stick. Folks spending $900 on an artisan pipe don't like to hear that. LOL.

 

[puffy]

I have two both from 1990.I reserve then for Penzance.They both smoke great.

 

[bobpnm]

I have been considering the Dunhill sale on Pipes & Cigars. If I remember is April. Buy a new Dunhill and get 20 H&H tins. Seems like a good time to do it if you are so inclined. What are the thoughts on that?

 

[alexl]

Yeah, these "Is a Dunhill worth it?" threads seem to pop up like clockwork, on every forum I've ever been on. Seems you can set your watch to them. Simple answer is yes, if you can afford them. And no if you can't. Dunhill makes a great pipe. But so do like 500 other brand pipes, both frazed and artisan. The point to remember is that you can have a stellar smoke in a five dollar cob or a $30 estate pipe. So, smokability has little to do with price IMHO. Seems like I've written this a thousand times before. Say, weren't we just doin this with Comoys on another thread?

Kashmir
Hope your watch is accurate
Everybody has his own answer to the question “if $500 pipe smokes better than $30 basket pipe”. I have it too, and my answer is “F*,yes!”. When I ask here a question about specific brand I hope to get corresponding answers and not common reasoning.
No offence.

 

[topd]

I'm with the statements of others here.... I've never bought a 'new' Dunhill. Plenty

of estates around to be had.

 

[voorhees]

I could never justify buying a new Dunhill. Finding that 1926 Shell Briar patent a couple of weeks ago, was however "magical" in some ways. I now have hope that I'll stumble upon another, unlikely but I can hope.
Gratuitous pipe picture...

 

[foggymountain]

I am up to 78 Dunhills. I believe that if you buy them in the USA you do overpay a little, but not that much. If you buy them from a European dealer they cost a lot less. Are they worth the price? To me they are. The rare Root Briars are the best, followed by the Bruyere. Those are the only two types I have gotten recently. The other finishes are not quite as good, and the shell briar has a bitter taste from the stain. 10-20 years from now, if we haven't destroyed the earth yet, they will be worth more used than they cost new. This is only true for very few products, such as Leica film cameras.

 

[fishnbanjo]

All of mine are great smokers but none newer than the early 60's and 2 actually have real Ivory Spots.

 

[kashmir]

Nice rack of Dunhills, Banjo. Here's my Dunhill line up, from 1928 to the present production. Are they worth it? Each man will answer that differently. Do they smoke better than my cobs and low end estates? Depends on the blend, how well broken in a particular pipe is, quality of cake, the weather, my mood ...

 

[hfearly]

Love your Dunhill rack, Kash! *Jealous*

 

[foggymountain]

The question to ask is "does that tobacconist have a Dunhill dealership?" If not he is denigrating them to get you to buy something else from him. If so, and he is putting them down, he is a fool.It is ridiculous to say they are worth 1/4 of what they cost. The average Dunhill Bruyere costs about $425, European prices. What other pipe in that, or a lower price range is as good? The only other pipe I know of is the Hilson Vintage.

 

[alexl]

foggymountain
So you have Dunhills which were made after year 2000? They are top smokers?