Dunhill Pipes

[sablebrush52]

Getting back to Dunhill how can machine manufacture do as good a job as an artisan could do?

Well, from a purely technical point of view, there's nothing innately superior to making a pipe by hand than machining it. BTW, artisans use plenty of machinery in making their pipes. The difference is that a purely machine made production line will generate less "firsts" as the cut down stage has been eliminated. It's that cut down stage, where hand shaping is employed to remove natural defects that crop up in the bowl shaping, that provide a higher number of "firsts".
Dunhill has never been purely a pipe making concern. Their focus was always on supplying quality goods to the high end market. What Dunhill did that was brilliant was to promote the IDEA of Dunhill as the symbol of success, the good life, the very finest quality that could be obtained. To own Dunhill was to show the world that you had arrived and that you were discerning and had taste. And, they did this not just with pipes but with all of their various goods, leather, silver, gold, etc. Dunhill isn't a pipe, it's a status symbol
Ask a non smoking person to name a pipe brand and they're far more likely to know the name, Dunhill, than any other.
Are they a good value for the buck? That's for you to decide. I own a bunch, and I rarely smoke them anymore. I've found other pipes that perform much better for me that most of my Dunhills. I do have a couple that stay in the rotation. I wouldn't part with them.
As for their history, it's a rich history, though not without some telling controversy, and it's certainly not the longest, oldest, or most fabled. You can look to Charatan, Loewe, Barling, Comoy, BBB, amongst others, for that. Dunhill is just the best known and most promoted.
The three tier one Dunhill dealers with whom I've discussed the brand and their history all say the same thing. At their best, a Dunhill is as good as any pipe made by anybody. But their output over the years is uneven, and their focus has always been on making the finest stems with excellent fit and finish, rather than providing the best briar. And that's because most smokers don't know briar, but they do know stems. Two of the three said, mediocre briar, world class stems.
For those who love status symbols, Dunhill will always be The One.

 

[mso489]

I love French pipes, which started the briar pipe industry, and pre-dated the English pipes which, in a large part, imitated them. Many Dunhill shapes are direct lineage from the French pipes -- maybe not the classical cylindrical pot or panels, but most. You can get a wonderful smoker from St. Claude or other French pipe center that has many of the best traits of the English pipes for a tenth the price.

 

[sablebrush52]

I love French pipes, which started the briar pipe industry, and pre-dated the English pipes which, in a large part, imitated them. Many Dunhill shapes are direct lineage from the French pipes -- maybe not the classical cylindrical pot or panels, but most. You can get a wonderful smoker from St. Claude or other French pipe center that has many of the best traits of the English pipes for a tenth the price.

+1
Many of the English makers imported their bowls from France and did the final assembly and finishing in England. Even after English makers established factories they continued to buy French briar and stamp it with an English name. After 1906, Barling stopped importing and made all of their own bowls, but others continued to make some and import some. Dunhill was an importer of French made bowls, continuing to do so throughout their history, putting their stamp on the finished pipe. When Barling attempted, in 1928, to have a law passed that would require pipes stamped "Made In England" or "Made In London" to actually be made in England, Dunhill led the charge to block passage of that bill. They declared that the law would be a "disaster" for the British pipe making industry.
Trever Talbert's Ligne Bretagne pipes are largely French bowls that he finishes.
French pipes can be great smokers and are great values.

 

[elpfeife]

I think Sable hit a high note with the stems. I have a few Dunhills (and have had others) and I've always thought the outstanding quality of all of them were the stems. I have to say that if I could combine a Dunhill stem with a Castello bowl I would be in pipe heaven.

 

[layinpipe]

I have to say that if I could combine a Dunhill stem with a Castello bowl I would be in pipe heaven.

+ 1 million. :clap:
I couldn't agree more with you pfeife, i'm not a fan of any variations of hardened plastic used for stems, Castello included. It's not a deal breaker for me or anything, but if i had the choice it's vulcanite/ebonite/ashtonite every time (preferably brindle colored).
The Castello/Dunhill combo would be a hell of a combination, indeed. I'd be the first in line! :mrgreen:

 

[georged]

I have a few Dunhills (and have had others) and I've always thought the outstanding quality of all of them were the stems. I have to say that if I could combine a Dunhill stem with a Castello bowl I would be in pipe heaven.

If you mean combine them in a wishful, Perfect World sort of way where there was a brand of pipes that fit your description, you're out of luck, of course. (Magic wands are very hard to come by.)
If you mean as an after-the-fact thing, by replacing an existing Castello's stem with a Dunhill-esque vulcanite one, that's not a problem. I do it all the time. (Though more often the other way around, duplicating Dunhill stems in acrylic for oxidation haters.)
I posted some pics a few weeks ago of a conceptually similar "hybrid" project---putting a Danish-style stem on an old system Peterson:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/blending-the-old-and-new
Gimme a shout if I can help transport you to pipe heaven :lol:

 

[ssjones]

I have a new (2013) White Spot bulldog that is better built than either of my two older pipes. I'd buy another in a heart-beat, as long as the price stays reasonable.

 

[elpfeife]

I was simply dreaming, Geo. I do know I could have a vulcanite stem made for a Castello but it isn't quite the same. If I ever do go for a replacement stem I'll give you a ring. Thanks for the offer.

 

[stickframer]

ssjones thanks for sharing that excerpt. I enjoyed reading it.

 

[foggymountain]

I think they are worth the price, which is no longer high if you get them from Europe and pay Euros. I was recently looking at a $900 pipe by an established carver that I have. It is useless because the stem keeps falling out. What I was thinking, was that I could have gotten 2 Dunhills for that price. Dunhills are consistent. If you have a Dunhill of a certain shape and finish, there is a 99% chance that another with the same shape and finish will smoke the same. I get Dunhills because it eliminates the risk in pipe buying.

 

[foggymountain]

I just read the Milne Essay and find it inaccurate and rather silly.

 

[stickframer]

I have nothing against Dunhill pipes or their owners. (I don't own any.)
foggy, The essay does seem a bit silly, hence the enjoyment. I get a lot of pleasure from reading things from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. I like the writing styles and find the bluntness used in getting ones opinion across to be entertaining.

 

[settersbrace]

To each his own, thanks to foggy I now own a terrific smoking group 6 panel chestnut, the bit comfort was worth the price of admission on its own. Do I have pipes that smoke as well or better? Yes, but I'm still happy to own a "white spot" as well as some other great British pipes. It's my opinion that without Alfred Dunhill and his marketing genius the pipe world would've suffered greatly. The fierce competition that sprung up in the early 20th century between the various makers like GBD, Barling and others led to a period of pipe craftsmanship not seen before or since. Whether it be an old patent era or a newer incarnation of Dunhill I still believe it to be a superior brand and despite all the bashing the name sometimes recieves, they still remain near or at the top of the heap.