Dunhill Shells

[EchoPlex]

I'm an early cragg head myself. Yeah, for me, there's just nothing quite like those coarse, deep patents, though I have some 60's shells that are very close.

Condition is just as huge a factor though. I don't like early patents that are worn from constant buffing over the years. They can get real smooth and ugly, imo.

The later Dunhill shells (~70's and on) are just too dark/inky for me, personally, and don't have the same dynamic pop or deep colors, and the blasts are too shallow.

That leads me to a side question: Were early patent shell dyes fired (fire-cured? no sure what the technical term is where they repeatedly apply and burn of the acohol) like the modern ones? I know modern ones claim to fire them ~10 times. I've heard earlier shell pipes were fired up to 30 times, but have no idea if this is true or not. Along with the early crag, that early finish and color is something to be admired.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I see there’s a Reuben era Charatan on Etsy that has a bit of the look I’m talking about: View attachment 286957

That one is a cross grain. The side is what happens when you blast Birdseye.



Many of the blasts that show no rings like the ones you're talking about had no remarkable grain if any at all prior to blasting. Some manufacturers blast those to salvage an otherwise mostly undesirable stummel.

 

[Sigmund]

Reminds me of ostrich skin or some type of exotic leather. Cool texture

 

[Chasing Embers]

Reminds me of ostrich skin or some type of exotic leather. Cool texture

Reminded me of scorched leather. That plus the flaming red band made that one my Devil's Holiday pipe.

 

[milk]

A craggy patent Parker:

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[ssjones]

A new addition, a 1961 Shape 56 Shell.

 

[milk]

A new addition, a 1961 Shape 56 Shell.

View attachment 287149View attachment 287150View attachment 287151

I have a 66 and it’s nowhere near this intricate in grain and pattern. Don’t get me wrong, I love mine but this one really rocks. But they really went for patterns after the patent years.

 

[milk]

A 2009 Ashton was made by whom? Maybe it’s hard to say. Having come from Dunhill, I guess BHT knew how it was done. I spotted this on Blue Room today:

Looks like an old Bark or shell.

 

[BenMN]

I know what you mean. Sometimes an Ashton will have a bit of it.

You can dig through the Savinelli Anticas on SPC and find a taste.

Jesse Jones is making beautiful pipes. Look for what he is calling Antique blast

 

[milk]

A 2009 Ashton was made by whom? Maybe it’s hard to say. Having come from Dunhill, I guess BHT knew how it was done. I spotted this on Blue Room today:
View attachment 287165
Looks like an old Bark or shell.

*I meant BAT.

 

[Winnipeger]

Yorgos Mitakidis has a penchant for the classic shapes, and his blasting is upper tier.
This is one of mine:
View attachment 286940

Here are some others from his IG:

View attachment 286944View attachment 286945View attachment 286946

Yep. I was going to mention Mitakidis because I recently got one of his pipes and it has the sharpest, craggiest blast I've ever put my fingers on, and a very simple, classic shape.

Of course there are other contemporary artisans who produce similar quality blasts, but one day I'd still like to acquire a pre-war Shell or a Tanshell from around '52-'53. It's like the last thing on my PAD list at this point.

 

[EchoPlex]

A new addition, a 1961 Shape 56 Shell.

View attachment 287150View attachment 287151

Beautiful example. This is typically what I obsess over and what older Dunhills were masters of, in my opinion. I'm no expert, nor am I good with technical terms, but it has that deep coarse ring grain with those very fine perpendicular grain lines running up and down. Then there's the deep and dynamic stain and finish where the higher relief grain is almost translucent. Coupled all together it makes this piece look like the ring grain is practically dripping or being pulled down by gravity. You can get lost just studying all the surface features of this pipe. These pipes look so completely natural and so completely alien at the same time. And that's what makes them special to me. Most every other brand that tries or tried to do this just can't quite get it right and will often result in an artificial wood look. Some newer attempts even look like cast resin to me.

Damnit, now I have to start looking at buying another nice old shell again...

 

[EchoPlex]

Yep. I was going to mention Mitakidis because I recently got one of his pipes and it has the sharpest, craggiest blast I've ever put my fingers on, and a very simple, classic shape.
View attachment 287206
Of course there are other contemporary artisans who produce similar quality blasts, but one day I'd still like to acquire a pre-war Shell or a Tanshell from around '52-'53. It's like the last thing on my PAD list at this point.

Gorgeous! I need to look more into these Mitakidis pipes. It has the look I love without coming across as a wanna-be Dunhill. The colors are great too.

 

[Chasing Embers]

maybe too nice.

?

 

[kcghost]

At that time Dunhill just made superb pipes. Their blasts and rustications were just superb. Sandblasting costs noticeably more than rusticating.