Banjo passed??? Damn! I really miss his comments and all the magnificent pipes and photos! I'll raise one in his honor tonight, though I have no pipes worthy.
Dunhill Really Special?
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Yeah,sadly so. Really miss him, but I've got a couple of his which helps. A number of us glommed into some of his from the ebay seller in charge of his estates. They still show up, so if you want you've got a shot at them.Banjo passed??? Damn! I really miss his comments and all the magnificent pipes and photos! I'll raise one in his honor tonight, though I have no pipes worthy.
I don't want to rain on anyone's parade either, because I would prefer to wash all Dunhills out to sea. I'm sick of the never-ending talk bout them due to the abject awe with which they are regarded.
True, for some decades they were more handmade than machine made, but about 1965 that was reversed by the potentates in charge. The "business decision" was made to put manufacturing a world-class product second to profit. Buy it doesn't work that way. Profit follows quality, not the reverse, but owners are dazzled by dollars.
But 55 years later the seemingly eternal love affair for Dunhill goes on:
1. There's usually a thread discussing them.
2. There are usually multiple sales
3. Isn't the bottom line their regard in the marketplace? They retail for twice their worth and at resale command the highest prices.
I am weary of these second rate pipes-that sell for twice their worth-taking up the bandwidth.
Notice what I diden't say. I'll;say that again. Notice
Part 2
Notice what I didn't say. I'll say that again. Notice what I didn't say. I didn't say that you should adopt my opinion. No, it's mine. I also didn't say that you must jettison your beloved Dunhill pipes or that you should love them less. Again these are just my opinions.
People whose logic amounts to nonsense and who resort to penis-driven insults might do better than dashing off such twaddle in the heat of their less sober state.
Notice what I didn't say. I'll say that again. Notice what I didn't say. I didn't say that you should adopt my opinion. No, it's mine. I also didn't say that you must jettison your beloved Dunhill pipes or that you should love them less. Again these are just my opinions.
People whose logic amounts to nonsense and who resort to penis-driven insults might do better than dashing off such twaddle in the heat of their less sober state.
People who are "sick" of the mentioning of Dunhill might well ignore those threads entirely. Definitely not post at length in them.
People who post about the advisability of others' posting ought mind their own business, admittedly small as it is.
I dont think the price for a new Dunhill is fair, but of all the current pipe brands Dunhill has the best aesthetics and makes beautiful smaller sized pipes (group 1-3).
Other modern pipe makers have pretty bad proportioned pipes.
But I dont think Dunhills are better than estate family era Barlings, Comoys, Charatan, BBBs and Loewes.
So if you want a brand new classic shaped small pipe, there are not many options besides Dunhill.
Other modern pipe makers have pretty bad proportioned pipes.
But I dont think Dunhills are better than estate family era Barlings, Comoys, Charatan, BBBs and Loewes.
So if you want a brand new classic shaped small pipe, there are not many options besides Dunhill.
There's a pile of options, at various price points, from individual makers all over the world, most of whom make better pipes than Dunhill ever did.
I was talking about factory brands.
And there is no other brand left that does the old classic shapes as good as Dunhill unfortunately.
Especially if we talk about small sized pipes.
No that's true, and lamentably so. There is a complete lack of really well shaped small classic pipes, maybe with the exception of brands like Genod and Ropp which are very much of the factory-run shaping. But the stem work and detailing isn't anywhere near. When I bought a Barling this past year, I looked it over and thought "Yeah basically you can't buy pipes this good off the shelf anymore."
I got a Group 3 County last year from Al Pascia at a 15% off Christmas promotion. Their prices are well below US MSRP even without the additional 15% off. Worked out with shipping and currency conversion to a hair over $300. Shops in the U.K. are even cheaper, though the shop with the largest inventory, James Barber, has stopped shipping pipes to the US.
I am very pleased with it and can’t find anything to complain about. Would I have paid the price that SP gets for Group 3 County’s, which with my Silver level pricing is $416.50? Well, I haven’t. I recall at the time that I could have gotten a 4K Castello Old Antiquari that Bollito had that I liked for right at the same money with shipping, etc. I certainly would have been happy with the Castello, too, but I don’t regret my choice for a minute.
I am very pleased with it and can’t find anything to complain about. Would I have paid the price that SP gets for Group 3 County’s, which with my Silver level pricing is $416.50? Well, I haven’t. I recall at the time that I could have gotten a 4K Castello Old Antiquari that Bollito had that I liked for right at the same money with shipping, etc. I certainly would have been happy with the Castello, too, but I don’t regret my choice for a minute.
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I have several Savinelli Autograph Mignons that are, to say the least, exquisite and they are a fraction of the price of a Dunhill (at least for the sandblast finished ones).
Here's a bent apple currently available at SP:
I have several Savinelli Autograph Mignons that are, to say the least, exquisite and they are a fraction of the price of a Dunhill (at least for the sandblast finished ones).
Here's a bent apple currently available at SP:
I am sure its a great pipe, but it doesnt has the shape and proportions of the classic french/british pipes.
Italian pipes have their own style and its a whole different story.
I am not speaking about quality, but about classic shapes and aesthetics.
Apologies if I am repeating a previous question but if I am interested in finding a Dunhill, is there a preferred time period? Also why the distinction between machine made and hand made? I would think a bigger differentiation would be the quality of the briar used.
This is just my personal opinion but time period is usually just a "collect-ability" thing. Some people also look specifically for a pipe made the year they were born or "birth year" pipe as they tend to be called.
I have some older Dunhills and a couple of newer "White Spot" Dunhills and I really can't tell the quality difference. I would bet money, if the identification markings were removed from the newer pipes, many pipe smokers would have difficulty telling as well.
Machine made and hand made can be qualitative terms since many hand carvers use some sort of lathe or other "machine" in their process. What most people are referring to when the say machine made pipe is a pipe made with a Frazing machine which produces a pipe from a pattern of some sort. Even freehand carved pipes are most likely drilled with what could be called a "machine" (power tool of some sort) but this is pedantic and not what people are really meaning when talking machines and pipes.
So at the end of the day, time period and machine vs hand is a matter of personal preference. Me personally, if it's a factory name brand pipe, don't give a fig about it.
I'm sorry but when a member asks about how a Dunhill smokes but has owned at least one, it is a bit suspect. My initial reaction was to send one of my less-used Dunhills but finding out the original post is disingenuous makes me less likely to help other honest questioners in the future.
@sparrowhawk if you want positive reactions from people like me who are willing to be generous but also have computer skills, please make sure you have read your old posts before trying this kind of thread.
@sparrowhawk if you want positive reactions from people like me who are willing to be generous but also have computer skills, please make sure you have read your old posts before trying this kind of thread.
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