Help With Dunhill Nomenclature

[sergemoat]

Can someone enlighten me on the "ODB" category of Dunhills? I know Dunhill uses group sizes, but I've also read that they have an "ODA" size for their large pipes. Are "ODB" pipes even larger?

 

[topd]

What are all the markings. OBD could be a 1950 pipe, but it depends on everything else on the stampings....
Example:
OBD DUNHILL MADE IN ENGLAND 0 H

........LONDON
(Ignore the dots, I was trying to get LONDON directly under DUNHILL)
Have a look at: http://loringpage.com/pipearticles/831.htm
The expert that wrote this article was rather confused himself....

 

[papipeguy]

Here's some additional info on Dunhill pipes. I hope it helps.
http://www.rdfield.com/Articles/A%20Dunhill%20Pipe%20Dating.htm

 

[sergemoat]

@topd, thats the page I was looking at to try and get clarification. The line that states "the pipe was being priced down from an ODB to an ODA." meaning ODB was of higher quality, or size (or both)? The pipe I was looking at I believe its a newer Dunhill with the Dunhill in an oval mark. ODB (over) 837, F/T, Dunhill(in oval), SHELL BRIAR (over)MADE IN ENGLAND 01.

 

[cajunguy]

OD = Own Design. I've also heard "our design."

A-J = Grade (ascending)
So your pipe is an Own Design, Grade B (higher than "A;" B's are typically very big, thus the briar costs more). If I recall, the pipe is fairly old... early fifties. I'll have to read the page TopD listed, as I've not seen that one before. This is from memory, so I might be wrong. My friend's dad is a Dunhill fanatic and we've shared many a bowls examining his collection. Well, me drooling over it, anyway...
Thanks for providing that site, TopD.