Weird date code Dunhill Root Briar DR???

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Piper100

Lurker
Jan 29, 2023
4
1
Hi everyone wondering if anyone can help me date a pipe I just acquired. It is a small Dunhill Root Briar DR grade B. What is strange is the date code appears to be 10, which I think was not used at any time before they switched from letters to stars to grade DRs. Grateful for any thoughts, thanks!
 

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Piper100

Lurker
Jan 29, 2023
4
1
Yes thanks. Also checked my old copy of Loring‘s guide. What stumps me is the 1 or 0 being the same size as the D in England if there was only a 1 or a 0 would say 1971 or 1970 but I understand that that until much later Dunhill never used the date code 10.
 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
As for the stamping itself, that workstation was having a bad day.

The top row cut into the wood fibers (which is why the letters are dark --- stain wicking is the culprit), and the bottom row has several double-stamped characters (which isn't all that rare, but these are WITHIN the word, not the entire word, which is truly strange).

Given all that, it looks like the guy might have realized after finishing everything that he'd used a "1" instead of the correct "0", so appended it.

Extra digits in ascending order aren't uncommon (it's a "warranty update" thing), but to go backwards in time wouldn't happen except in an error situation.

All of which doubles down on the 1970's stem guess. Dunhill's Great Reset during that time caused all manner of cost-cut-intiated screwups that manifested in the final product.

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Piper100

Lurker
Jan 29, 2023
4
1
Thanks that makes the most sense, probably the product of a severe hangover. If I can ask what about the cut of the stem says 1970s? I did not know there was variation in stem shapes.
 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
... what about the cut of the stem says 1970s? I did not know there was variation in stem shapes.

The black and green lines show excessive leveling (lazy & sames time); and the blue arrows show "bloat", which is the result of back-cutting the button without resetting the profile (also lazy and saves time).

In all other deecades---though occasional pipes made in the 1980's show a smaller amount of both shortcuts---the necessary time & effort was spent to achieve level with a minimal grind, and remove the bloat after shaping the button.


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