Help! Possibly Awesome lil' Dunhill Find

[smokollector]

Hello, everyone. "Longtime" piper; first time poster. I've recently gotten into Estate pipes and bought a bunch, un-restored, from a little ol' lady at an antique mall. I went through them— mostly GBDs, a few Lane-era and post-Dunhill Charatans. I've researched them, dated them, and decided which to trade, sell, or restore for my own collection. But there was one little Billiard that seemed well-worn and unassuming...at first.

I put it under light and magnification, and saw "DUNHILL" on the left side.

Stamped under it is "LONDON".

I decided to clean it up a little and, sure enough, found the white dot on the bit. (It was upside down and dirty)

At this point I became interested in dating this billiard.

According to the article "A Dunhill Pipe Dating Guide", originally published in Pipe Smoker (Winter 1984), and pulled from Pipedia, it seems pretty straight-forward to slim it down. With this article printed out, I put the pipe back under light and magnification. I clearly see the letter "A" to the left of "DUNHILL" and "LONDON". Although, nearly all the stamps are hard to see, I turned it over to the right side and, faintly, I can make out the stamp "INNER TUBE" and, under that, "PAT. No. 116989/17" but I can't see the Pat. No's Suffix. Nor can I make out "MADE IN ENGLAND", which is supposed to be above "INNER TUBE".

Possibly the most perplexing is a clear stamp "71" on the same (right) side, just behind the bowl.
Am I wrong, but does that "71" stamp seem like it doesn't belong on a 1925—34 Dunhill? There is no mention of it that I can find. I know it's the shape code, and I've seen them on SP.com, but none with "INNER TUBE" stamped on them, which apparently dates and grades the pipe as a "Bruyere", circa 1925-34.
If anyone reading this is a Dunhill collector, am I just over-excited or is this, indeed, a great find?

Should I have the pipe restored? Would restoration help or hurt the stamps?
If you are not a Dunhill collector, but know one who might shed some light on this, can you please direct them to this post?
Humbly and gratefully,
Your friend,

smokollector

 

[smokollector]

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[jpmcwjr]

Photos are invaluable for this type of question.
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com; Postimage; Dropbox, etc. Photobucket), or on virtually any site, (including this site's album) such as eBay, Amazon, you-name-it, select the full sized image, then Control-click (Mac) or Right-click (Windows) on the image itself, then choose "copy image location" or similar words. Now paste that URL (the full web address, which should end in .jpg or .png) into the IMG box in the reply window of the thread you're posting to.
The site's album is also a good choice for displaying photos, and the same method works for obtaining the image's URL for copying into the IMG box.

 

[smokollector]

Oh. Thanks jp. They'll be up in a few minutes

 

[smokollector]

Here are a a few pics. Tried the best I could.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/me42fjki9isk2ff/Rim%20and%20White%20Dot.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/phq1yra3kj926ys/Left.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qrddhbx4bga48jz/Right.jpg?dl=0

 

[sablebrush52]

For a very detailed, and sometimes bewildering, Dunhill database and dating guide, check this out:
http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/dunhill/index.html

 

[dmcmtk]

About the 71, from what you are saying about the markings, could it be the last two digits of shape 171? From the 1927 Dunhill About Smoke catalog,

edit: nope.

 

[smokollector]

Wow.Sablebrush, that's an incredible database. Thank you!

 

[dmcmtk]

 

[smokollector]

dmcmtk,
I thought that too. If it was once there, the "1" is gone. However, SP.com has recently sold two late era Dunhills marked "71"
https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/england/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=218840
https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/england/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=274910
...and thanks for help with the pics :lol:
Actually, now that I look at the shape chart, 171 has a longer bit.

 

[dmcmtk]

So, 71 is the shape number.

Actually, now that I look at the shape chart, 171 has a longer bit.

Exactly, hence my edit above. :D

Nor can I make out "MADE IN ENGLAND", which is supposed to be above "INNER TUBE".

The pipedia guide is a general guide. Something else to consider, from John Loring,



"OTHER NOMENCLATURE ISSUES, COMMENTS & CURIOSITIES
"MADE IN ENGLAND" & "FABRICATION ANGLAISE". While "MADE IN ENGLAND" & "FABRICATION ANGLAISE", as the case may be, appear to have become a uniform alternative stampings by the mid 1920’s, initially those stampings appear to have been reserved only for pipes intended for export."
http://loringpage.com/PipeArticles/dundate/dundate.htm
You need a loupe.

 

[jpmcwjr]

You're welcome. Here are a few tips on photography.

LINK to the thread.

 

[smokollector]

Note: I misidentified the pipe's shape. Apparently, a "71"is a Liverpool.

 

[newbroom]

Looks like a keeper to me. I like the size, the age of the wood, and of course the brand is pretty well known to most of us with any interest in the subject.
Looks like a group 3 sized chamber. The fact that this one has a shorter stem than shape 71 makes it that much easier to get polished.

 

[ssjones]

 

[mountainman]

I have a very similar Dunhill that I picked up about 5 or 6 years ago. It was a Dunhill Bruyere that I dated to 1934 and had the A stamp clearly on one side. The other side had "Made in England 14" on it. Your pipe looks very similar to mine, and I wouldn't be surprised if they are from around the same era.

 

[mso489]

'kollecter, how much did you pay for said pipe? Sounds like a really good "find," if the dealer wasn't asking top dollar. Cleaned up and well identified, this is probably worth a bit, the way Dunhills are. Don't fix it up too much, over-buff it or otherwise change it. I think the original aspect is important, though I am assuming you will keep it for the pleasure of smoking it, not just cash in on it -- it's sort of a good luck item.

 

[smokollector]

Thank you everyone for your help and wisdom! I will contact a few restoration folks and discuss the potential and/or detrimental effects of restoring a pipe with this much stamp-wear. (Recommendations are always welcome ) If I decide to get it restored, I will upload pics of the finished pipe, for all of you to see the final result of your collaborative efforts.
Again, Thank You :worship:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Mountain- Lovely pipe. Is the band original or a repair? And nice exposures!

 

[mountainman]

The band is from a repair I believe. I think there was a crack in the shank and they banded to repair. I never had designs on selling that pipe though, as it smokes like a dream and is super light weight.