Who Makes White Spot / Dunhill Now?

[fishingandpipes]

I have three of the newer production "white spot" Dunhills. I think the going knowledge at this point is that they aren't made by Dunhill.
I'm curious if anyone knows what company DOES make them, or where said company may be located. I actually really enjoy my three White Spots and think they're very well made, and whoever is making them seem to be paying more attention to grain orientation too.
On a side note, I see that Al Pascia has new Charatans - curious who may be making those, as well. I almost got looped in to buying a really nicely grained estate Charatan with a gold band til I was informed it was the new production, made by ??? who knows.

 

[Chasing Embers]

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/who-makes-the-white-spot-pipes

 

[fishingandpipes]

Interesting! Thank you.

 

[mso489]

Fascinating. Dunhill is supposed to be the quintessential English pipe. I guess it's like Buick, which is an American car by name, has parts made in Korea, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan, and other points around the U.S. and the world. All that shipping around of people and parts may partly explain the Dunhill pipe prices, although pipes at all price points probably have the same international origins. I hope they are still making Missouri Meerschaum pipes in Washington, Missouri.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Dunhill is supposed to be the quintessential English pipe.

Dunhill was. The White Spot is not.

 

[ssjones]

The Buick analogy is a good one. I can only add that my lone White Spot is easily equal in fit/finish and smoking qualities to my older Dunhills and new Castellos (actually, the White Spot stem is better than my newer Castello stems,as it relates to the button).

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@ssjones, if you can no longer stand the button on that little 65 you got, PM me, we can talk. Of course that first match is expensive. I would hate to be responsible for you having a pipe you weren't comfortable with. (Evil grin)
Interesting that the Dunhill market in Italy is so strong when Italians have so many choices at lower prices. Yes, some shops do cater to the US market, but many who don't sell a lot of Dunhills. I am Facebook friends with a guy who is a patron of a very large shop with zero web presence who says White Spots are very popular there. Part of the answer may be the distributor for Italy. Not sure who that is, but if you troll the Italian web sites and go further afield than the Italian site sponsors, you will find lots of White Spots.

 

[ssjones]

Sorry Geezer, I was thinking about the button on my shape 58 (vs the Dunhill, nee Spot Shape 108), both 2014 pipes. The button on the 65 is sublime!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Fascinating. Dunhill is supposed to be the WAS the quintessential English pipe. I guess it's like Buick, which is an American car by name, has parts made in Korea, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan, and other points around the U.S. and the world.

(My edit above) And Mr. Buick was a Scot who became an American!

 

[georged]

(actually, the White Spot stem is better than my newer Castello stems,as it relates to the button).

Easy to set right, of course. Send me a stem you like along with the one you don't in a bubble envelope and I'll match it. Same day turnaround, too. (see what being a VIP mod gets you?) :D

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@ssjones, since you raised such a stink about buttons several months ago, I have been intentionally looking at my Castellos, about a dozen right now, down from 10 times that many 20 years ago. With maybe two exceptions, I think even you would be pleased with the buttons. When I bought the pipes, all but the last two of which were before I spent time on this forum, I never really paid that much attention to buttons. I mean, if it had one, that was enough. Now, that is the ne plus ultra of my Castello window shopping.
And some of them, by sheer coincidence once again, weigh less than 50 grams.
If you aren't a seller, might you be a buyer? (Continued evil grin).

 

[ssjones]

@georged - I'll let well-enough alone for now, but I appreciate that service! I should probably just use a file and take about 1 mm off the button height, that would solve my problem. My issue might stem (get it!) from that most of my collection are estate pipes, and I get used to those worn buttons. Or, just start smoking it more often and grind away!

 

[mawnansmiff]

As for who actually finishes and assembles White Spot/Dunghill pipes I know not but I did read or hear that their bowls are initially machine turned in Spain of all places :roll:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

¿Espana?
¿¿Porque no??
Where might they have been finished, wonders I.

 

[mso489]

Ole!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Again Spain

 

[ssjones]

They appear to be finished in England, from this link, referenced in the other "where are White Spot pipes made" thread:

Bigpond posted this in another thread, a blog entry touring the Dunhill factory in Walthamstow.
http://manufactureandindustry.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/inside-dunhill-factory-walthamstow.html

 

[huntertrw]

"Who Makes White Spot / Dunhill Now?"
While all of the above answers are interesting, White Spot/Dunhill pipes are actually manufactured today by none other than Clive Dunhill, a distant (and some say disowned) relative of Alfred's. By way of introduction, here is a link (Clive Dunhill) to a presentation that Mr. Dunhill made before the members of the Seattle Pipe Club during their annual dinner in 2005.

 

[ssjones]

Wasn't Clive the stem guy?

 

[huntertrw]

"Wasn't Clive the stem guy?"
No, that was Vernon.