When Was Dunhill's Prime?

[oldgeezersmoker]

I've had (and still have) Dunhills from the 60's, 70's, 80's 90's, early OO's and The White Spot. In that 10-12 pipe group, I can't say any era smokes better than another. The new White Spot had (2014) a better stem/button than a same era Castello (unless you like really chunky buttons).

Now, Al, not all contemporary Castellos have really chunky buttons. Maybe most.

In the 1999-2001 period I put together a 7 day set of group 5 Ring Grains that were in every respect, aesthetically and from a smoking standpoint, the equal of my post WWII patent number Dunhills, which I had considered the prime of Dunhill production. I suspect that with patience I could do the same today.

 

[sablebrush52]

Interesting how tastes differ. I am not a Dunhill collector but I have had 5 or 6 dozen over time and my personal favorites have always been from the mid thirties to early Fifties, particularly the oil cured shells.

The story about this, among the Dunhill collecting community in the '90's, was that Dunhill had scored some particularly high quality wood that was in use during this period. Back in the early '90's I asked a couple of senior level Dunhill dealers I knew about this and they concurred with the story. Interestingly, they both preferred Barlings for their personal use.
My late father-in-law was a Dunhill collector with a vengeance. Over 900 of them from every era, including a couple of prototypes, as well as specimens, magnums, etc, etc, plus all kinds of Dunhill lighters and leather work. He had his own personal Dunhill museum. His assessment was, "They make a pretty good pipe, but not better than everyone else."
The two Dunhills that still cut it for me are are a 1927 shell prince and a 1949 Bruyere billiard with absolutely gorgeous birdseye that also happens to be a black dot. It's nothing to do with era or looks. It has to do with how the blends I like to smoke work with them.
Beauty is where you find it. My $2 Brebbia smokes as well as anything else I've found.

 

[alaskanpiper]

The two Dunhills that still cut it for me are are a 1927 shell prince

This is encouraging, as the one early Dunhill I have is a 1928 double patent shell prince. I haven't had the nerve to spark it up yet, but I will at some point.

 

[sablebrush52]

This is encouraging, as the one early Dunhill I have is a 1928 double patent shell prince. I haven't had the nerve to spark it up yet, but I will at some point.

Fire it up! It's not some pseudo virgin Prom Queen.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Fire it up! It's not some pseudo virgin Prom Queen.

Haha, it's not for fear of cherry popping, but rather the fact that it has been summer in Alaska, which means most of my smoking is taking place outside, in the boonies, around airplanes, 4 wheelers, cabins, guns, dogs, morons, etc. Not exactly where I want to pack a 1928 shell in a pouch, lest it be kicked, jammed, soaked, dropped, knicked, or fall right out of the boat.

Now that we are moving in to cold weather and more time at home I will likely smoke it quite soon. I just get too nervous to enjoy the experience when I take expensive/rare pipes too far from the command center. That's what Savinelli's and Cobs are for.

 

[ssjones]

Now, Al, not all contemporary Castellos have really chunky buttons. Maybe most.

Fair enough! In fact my 2016, two C shape 65 has a particularly pleasant button.

 

[peregrinus]

Beauty is where you find it.

Truer words can’t be found.
The discussion of who made/makes the best smoking pipes is older than I am; it was taking place when I first came to pipes and as long as there are 2 pipe smokers left in the world there will be at least 2 different views. The most expensive, beautiful or best crafted pipes I’ve owned have rarely been the very best smoking, ironically the opposite has often been true.
For the record I must say my wife’s both beautiful and a good cook, however, there is a verse from an old Jimmy Soul song, "If You Wanna Be Happy" that sums this up very nicely:
“Yeah, she's ugly, but she sure can cook, baby!”

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Fair enough! In fact my 2016, two C shape 65 has a particularly pleasant button.

Damn. I was just getting ready to send you aPM asking about availability ?.

 

[mso489]

In the memory of some of our most venerable members, Dunhill pipes were premium priced but nothing like today's corrected for inflation, and for a time, say in the 1950's, cost less than the primo brand which was Kaywoodie. Ratcheting up the prices to those of name artisan brands and beyond took place over time, from the 1960's to today. I'm not a Dunhill guy or historian, so correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[mso489]

sable's father-in-laws' quote, "They make a pretty good pipe but not better than everyone else." Priceless.

 

[Bengel]

Now that we are moving in to cold weather and more time at home I will likely smoke it quite soon

Picture, or it didn't happen

 

[alaskanpiper]

Picture, or it didn't happen

Haha, will do.

 

[achtman]

In the memory of some of our most venerable members, Dunhill pipes were premium priced but nothing like today's corrected for inflation, and for a time, say in the 1950's, cost less than the primo brand which was Kaywoodie. Ratcheting up the prices to those of name artisan brands and beyond took place over time, from the 1960's to today. I'm not a Dunhill guy or historian, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you may be seeing this from the perspective of exchange rates between £ and $. I was living in Scotland in 1969-71 on a salary paid by a Canadian research fellowship. Because of the exchange rate I was earning much more than the senior professor in the department, and everything was dirt cheap. So Dunhill‘s would have been cheap in the US.

However they were not cheap in Scotland. I was able to buy Peterson‘s pipes, or a Savienlli or a Danish pipe without thinking more than twice. But a Dunhill was too expensive for me at the time.

Mark