Dunhills of Yore

[sandollars]

I know there are a lot of Dunhill collectors on this Forum. I am curious how old is the oldest Dunhill in your collection What's the best Dunhill smoker you have and what is the worst?

I will start with this 1928 Swan Neck I bought from another Forum member. It's also a damn fine smoker. Dry and very tasty.


My best Smoker is the 4th from the right, a 1972 Root Briar Dead Root ** Calabash and my worst smoker happens to be on the same rack, on the very right, a 2019 3103 County that smokes super wet. To be fair, I have to date, only smoked it with the innertube in it but have recently tossed it. I bet it smokes much better now. We shall see...

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm not a Dunhill collector but I do have a dozen or so of them. My oldest is a 1927 shell, a little thing that looks like a piece of melted meteorite It's a very good smoker, as is my 1949 Bruyere Black Dot, and the 1980 Alfred Hitchcock Dublin which was purchased from Gus's Smoke Shop after they bought the collection from the Hitchcock estate.

 

[leonardbill1]

My best small bowl smoker is a 1938 Root 116. My best large bowl smoker is a 1953 Tanshell LB that is one of the best blasts that I own, Dunhill or otherwise. I have around 30 Dunhills and I wouldn't characterize any of them as a bad smoker. What does put me off is a 2011 Ruby Bark that won't pass a pipe cleaner easily. The pipe was a gift, so I'm not complaining, but if you are going to sell a pipe for what new Dunhills sell for they ought to pass a pipe cleaner easily.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I had a 1924 shell briar pot but traded it with a friend. The only Dunhill I have in rotation is a small bruyere billiard. The date letter is worn off, but I assume it’s 60s/early 70s as that era is very common on the NZ estate market. Apart from its sentimental value to me, it’s actually a great burner while mowing the lawns.

 

[sandollars]

1980 Alfred Hitchcock Dublin which was purchased from Gus's Smoke Shop after they bought the collection from the Hitchcock estate.

You have the most unique historical pipes. Hitchcock? How cool is that?

 

[orlandofurioso]

Oldest; a 1919 Bruyere billiard with the wonderfully odd arched nomenclature.
It needed full restoration and I performed the job myself.
Best smoker; a fifties or so ( not at home now ) shell LB with a longer stem (!) .
Smokes like a freight train; I love it.
Worst smoker; unknown.

 

[kcghost]

I never got into Dunhills until they started making a fuss over "birth year" Dunhills. Of course, with my luck I was born in 1947. They are not too common and very pricey. I was looking for a prince or author. No luck.

 

[jguss]

My oldest is a stubby 1922 billiard shell, shape 37, with a saddle stem. Most of my Dunhills are great smokers and none are bad. My favorite is probably a 1959 Canadian shell, ODA 845, with a fantastic new stem from George D.

 

[DanWil84]

Maybe not right topic, don't want to highjack it. I see not a lot of love for later than 70's Dunhills. Why? Is it quality, older is better? My birthday is coming up and I have my eye on a 84 ODA.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Maybe not right topic, don't want to highjack it. I see not a lot of love for later than 70's Dunhills. Why? Is it quality, older is better? My birthday is coming up and I have my eye on a 84 ODA.

Would you like me to bore you telling; it is such a long and sad affair

 

[DanWil84]

Would you like me to bore you telling; it is such a long and sad affair

Isn't that what's pipe smoking is about? Boring is good!

 

[Grangerous]

I have a 1956 Group 4 Shell that smokes fine. My only Dunhill. It’s unique in that it’s an oval-shank billiard and a model no longer offered. Model 104 I believe. I wish I had another to compare to it. One day soon maybe.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Isn't that what's pipe smoking is about? Boring is good!

Boring as sin

 

[trouttimes]

I have many 50’s and 60’s Dunhills and one 2001. I think they all smoke well. I’ve heard that the 70’s and early 80’s are not quite up to standard but I don’t have any so I can’t say.

 

[danish]

My oldest and only 'White Spot'. From 1963 and not much older than me. Same goes for the watch.

 

[sasquatch]

I have but one Dunhill, a 42 or 48 shell, it's a good enough little pipe. But once I started smoking Castellos, I found they were a sweet spot for me. I would rate Dunhill with BBB and Barling in terms of how they perform. Good quality pipes (and from me, that's a compliment, I think most pipes are crap). But for pure performance, the Castellos of the early 2000s were tough to beat.

 

[sasquatch]

Maybe not right topic, don't want to highjack it. I see not a lot of love for later than 70's Dunhills. Why? Is it quality, older is better? My birthday is coming up and I have my eye on a 84 ODA.

On one hand, the pipes are for sure less of a focus for the company in more recent times, where originally they were the keystone of the business. In the 20s and 30s Dunhill was patenting processes for making pipes, which are really no longer adhered to. At this point, the guys making these pipes in Walthamstow are good enough craftsman, the pipes are still made to a pretty high standard, but there are a few more wonky ones, crooked slot/button work, or poor shaping, that you just would not have seen in the earlier production. They are still mostly a very well made pipe and not much of a risk when you buy them. But there are better examples of every part of the craft - finish work, stem work, shaping, whatever... all over the place. Dunhills are like Jaguars - a luxury vehicle that in some ways is a throwback.

 

[jpberg]

I have a patent from the 20’s that a guy gave me. Nice pipe.
I’ve had four birth years (68) that didn’t cut it. A few others over the years, maybe 20 total, so I’m no expert, but all in all not great.

 

[DanWil84]

@sasquatch thanks for elaborating!

@danish beautiful watch!

 

[Brewfan]

I only have one, a 1976 Breyere pot for my birth year, and it's one of the worst smokers I have. Maybe it's waiting for something English, I should give that a shot.