Dunhill Dating Question Please

[verporchting]

Calling the Baker Street Irregulars:
I've got a lovely group 4 Shell Briar - Lovat with a fishtail - that I am not certain whether it dates from 1959 sold in 60, or a 1969 sold in 70. Can somebody with a better understanding of the nomenclature please help me identify it? Very much appreciated, gentlemen.

 

[alaskanpiper]

My understanding would be 69/70 but I'm no expert. It's hard to see in the pic whether the 9 is "small and raised"
http://pipephil.eu/logos/en/dunhill/cledat-en1.html

 

[verporchting]

That is rather what I think as well, but ... I just don't know. To my eye, the "9" appears to be roughly the same size as the "D" in England and on the same level. But to be honest, the stamping is quite small and the shank is quite delicate and thin, so ... I don't know.
I will say that I've seen instances (even without any underlining) where the numbers are clearly smaller and clearly elevated, but this one isn't like that. There is just enough ambiguity to make a fellow question whether he is seeing it properly and interpreting what he is seeing correctly.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Yeah, every other example I have seen with the small raised year suffix, it is OBVIOUSLY smaller and raised. Yours is pretty ambiguous, especially since it sort of fades into the blasting there at the bottom. If I had to guess I'd say it is the same size as the D though. Maybe it is just an optical illusion that makes it look slightly smaller since the "tail" of the 9 sort of fades away as it approaches the blasting texture?

 

[dmcmtk]

'69/'70.

 

[verporchting]

Doh, should have been the Duke Street Irregulars. :puffpipe: I always get the two mixed up, but ... you can understand why.
Thank you for confirming the date. That's what I thought when I purchased it, but it really didn't matter one way or the other because it is a lovely pipe and the condition is just fantastic.
I'm currently puffing away on its christening smoke with a bowl of St. Bruno and all I can say is it was worth every penny.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I'm currently puffing away on its christening smoke with a bowl of St. Bruno and all I can say is it was worth every penny.

It does look to be in great shape. Congrats! Glad it's a great smoker for you. Just acquired my first dunhill's recently myself, hoping to give one a shot this coming weekend. Likely a 1967 Bruyere 104 group 4 I found on ebay that was in surprisingly good shape. Excited to see what all the fuss/criticism is about, hahaha.