Sell me a Dunhill.

[ssjones]

Maxim sent out his weekly email newsletter and in his intro posted:
English pipe are the oldest tradition of pipe making still concurrent with today’s makers. It started when there were gaslights, horse drawn carriages, and men (or at least gentlemen) wore top hats. There was Flachfield, BBB, Loewe, GBD, Comoys and after WWI Dunhill, Charatan, Barling, Lewis & Hardcastle, Peterson & Knapp and many, many more. The heyday was between the two Great Wars. Today there are a few-left high quality tradition English makers. Dunhill, Comoys & Charatan are now a low-end makers. Yet, the English pipe makers –of recent vintage Ferndown, Ashton, (with the torch happily passing on our beloved Billy’s death to Jimmy) and Northern Briars - continue the traditions.
Ouch....
(relocated from the wrong thread)

 

[ssjones]

Ouch....

Ouch indeed, and more than a little unfair as concerns Dunhill pipes. Sure, the pipe that launched this thread is bad, but is remarkable because it is a bad Dunhill. Thinking of today's Dunhills compared to Ferndowns, Ashtons, and Northern Briars, I would say Dunhill does better than holding its own. The Woods make great pipes, but the only Ferndowns I would pick over a Dunhill are the spigots (there Ferndowns win on price) and the Premier line sandblasted by Michael Parks (Dunhill just do not make blasts like that anymore). As for today's Ashtons, they mostly do not excite me, and I see little indication they edge out Dunhill on quality. Regarding Northern Briars, I really enjoy Ian Walker's tributes to the Countryman and Sea Urchin shapes, enough so that I would overlook some of the common shortcomings in the quality of his pipes (e.g., off-center drilling and crude button slots) should I get the chance to buy one for a good price. My decision to buy a Northern Briars pipe over a Dunhill would not be based on the quality of workmanship.

 

[buroak]

Al, Thanks for also moving my reply to your post. ^