1962 Dunhill Shell Briar
As much as I try I can't decide which shape I like better; Canadian or Lovat. I think I'll just resign myself to like them both equally. A week ago this fresh estate pipe was served up at smokingpipes and it caught my eye on the spot. I was able to stave off the PAD urge for about a day but when I checked back the next morning the pipe was still there unsold! At that point resistance was futile.
Being of 1962 vintage this pipe may or may not be the softer Algerian briar that yielded the deeper blasts that was a common attribute of the earlier Shells. From reading I have learned that there was times during the 60's and 70's that the Algerian blocks were unavailable and harder pieces were used. The blast on this example to me looks similar to the appearance of my recently made Dunhills and not the really craggy finish that I've seen on older pipes. In any case it's still a beautiful Shell and I am very proud to have it in my collection.
Once again I've bought an estate pipe from smokingpipes and the piece has exceeded my expectations. The bowl was very clean as well as the inside of the mortise and airway. A very slight ghost of perhaps an English blend still lingers but it is subtle and will soon be put to rest with one of my favorite Virginia flakes. In fact I've already chosen SG Full Virginia Flakes for the first smoke which will be later this weekend. Kudos to SP for the excellent service and a worry free buying experience.
Other than a very short period when Dunhill experimented with an all black sandblast finish the Shell pipes have always been dressed with a black over red stain and when out in the sun the red really shines through. Indoors or in the shade the pipe looks almost black. I'm sure over time some of the black has worn away and more red is able to peek out but it still looks amazing for a pipe heading into its 51st year:
I'm no expert on English pipes that's for sure but the huge scope of information out there on this most famous brand has really piqued my interest. When I started my collecting in earnest I was into Peterson's. I still enjoy smoking my Petes but that marquee's history is a bit more obscure and dating can be very problematic. While Dunhill's dating system does have ins and outs to be learned it's much easier for the neophyte collector to discern the date of origin and other details of an acquired pipe.
Really I consider myself more of a smoker than a collector and I smoke all my pipes but I read that some Dunhill aficionados would only consider the older pipes because they just smoke better. I'm not so sure of that myself but there is only one way to find out and that means getting a hold of some old classics and trying them out.
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