Why are Dunhill pipes so expensive?

[warren]

Exactly! I think? Unsettled, defensive, but usually spoken as a jibe directed towards someone out of hearing. I think envy and/or jealousy are obviously in the mix.

 

[sablebrush52]

I love the occasional ambiguity of language. Deathmetal's post could be read as being applicable to someone who would make the comment that he quoted, not as support for it.
As for why Dunhills are so expensive, it's because enough people will fork over the money. WHY they will fork over the money is another matter altogether.

 

[misterlowercase]

Mr. Dunhill intentionally formed his company to be appealing to a certain class, and this, of course, was bound to have a counter-reaction.
It's been happening almost since the very beginning too,

and here we are now,

in the same sort of debate!

:P
Alfred Dunhill as a brand was borne from a sort of ultimate exclusivity, well-intended to be finely discriminating, but often ridiculed for an uppercrust aura of rarefied airs.
As early as 1920 this perception was evident, as most well noted by A.A. Milne with this essay:

"Smoking as a Fine Art"
My first introduction to Lady Nicotine was at the innocent age of eight, when, finding a small piece of somebody else’s tobacco lying unclaimed on the ground, I decided to experiment with it. Numerous desert island stories had told me that the pangs of hunger could be allayed by chewing tobacco; it was thus that the hero staved off death before discovering the bread-fruit tree. Every right-minded boy of eight hopes to be shipwrecked one day, and it was proper that I should find out for myself whether my authorities could be trusted in this matter. So I chewed tobacco. In the sense that I certainly did not desire food for some time afterwards, my experience justified the authorities, but I felt at the time that it was not so much for staving off death as for reconciling oneself to it that tobacco-chewing was to be recommended. I have never practiced it since.
At eighteen I went to Cambridge, and bought two pipes in a case. In those days Greek was compulsory, but not more so than two pipes in a case. One of the pipes had an amber stem and the other a vulcanite stem, and both of them had silver belts. That also was compulsory. Having bought them, one was free to smoke cigarettes. However, at the end of my first year I got to work seriously on a shilling briar, and I have smoked that, or something like it, ever since.
In the last four years there has grown up a new school of pipe- smokers, by which (I suspect) I am hardly regarded as a pipe- smoker at all. This school buys its pipes always at one particular shop; its pupils would as soon think of smoking a pipe without the white spot as of smoking brown paper. So far are they from smoking brown paper that each one of them has his tobacco specially blended according to the colour of his hair, his taste in revues, and the locality in which he lives. The first blend is naturally not the ideal one. It is only when he has been a confirmed smoker for at least three months, and knows the best and worst of all tobaccos, that his exact requirements can be satisfied.
However, it is the pipe rather than the tobacco which marks him as belonging to this particular school. He pins his faith, not so much to its labour-saving devices as to the white spot outside, the white spot of an otherwise aimless life. This tells the world that it is one of THE pipes. Never was an announcement more superfluous. From the moment, shortly after breakfast, when he strikes his first match to the moment, just before bed-time, when he strikes his hundredth, it is obviously THE pipe which he is smoking.
For whereas men of an older school, like myself, smoke for the pleasure of smoking, men of this school smoke for the pleasure of pipe-owning—of selecting which of their many white-spotted pipes they will fill with their specially-blended tobacco, of filling the one so chosen, of lighting it, of taking it from the mouth to gaze lovingly at the white spot and thus letting it go out, of lighting it again and letting it go out again, of polishing it up with their own special polisher and putting it to bed, and then the pleasure of beginning all over again with another white- spotted one. They are not so much pipe-smokers as pipe-keepers; and to have spoken as I did just now of their owning pipes was wrong, for it is they who are in bondage to the white spot. This school is founded firmly on four years of war. When at the age of eighteen you are suddenly given a cheque-book and called “Sir,” you must do something by way of acknowledgment. A pipe in the mouth makes it clear that there has been no mistake—you are undoubtedly a man. But you may be excused for feeling after the first pipe that the joys of smoking have been rated too high, and for trying to extract your pleasure from the polish on the pipe’s surface, the pride of possessing a special mixture of your own, and such-like matters, rather than from the actual inspiration and expiration of smoke. In the same way a man not fond of reading may find delight in a library of well-bound books. They are pleasant to handle, pleasant to talk about, pleasant to show to friends. But it is the man without the library of well-bound books who generally does most of the reading.
So I feel that it is we of the older school who do most of the smoking. We smoke unconsciously while we are doing other things; THEY try, but not very successfully, to do other things while they are consciously smoking. No doubt they despise us, and tell themselves that we are not real smokers, but I fancy that they feel a little uneasy sometimes. For my young friends are always trying to persuade me to join their school, to become one of the white-spotted ones. I have no desire to be of their company, but I am prepared to make a suggestion to the founder of the school. It is that he should invent a pipe, white spot and all, which smokes itself. His pupils could hang it in the mouth as picturesquely as before, but the incidental bother of keeping it alight would no longer trouble them.

::

..............................................................................................................
:nana:
:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJbi2fKa5Sg

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Deathmetal:

I've heard this trope before, but in my view, it's usually said by people who are defensive about being criticized or someone else getting ahead another way []

Given how aggressively some people speak against Lakeland blends, now I know I'm on the right track.
Ennerdale is how you get ahead in life.

 

[deathmetal]

I think envy and/or jealousy are obviously in the mix.

I have come to see envy as the primary "broken thing" in humanity. It's a form of scapegoating, when analyzed. "I could have what he did, except somehow he took it from me, and I can't have it myself."

Given how aggressively some people speak against Lakeland blends

They are disgusting, and it's a shame because the underlying tobacco is usually very good. But: yuk. Haven't had Ennerdale though.

 

[warren]

sable: Correct! I chose to see it as agreeing with me. I suspect the intent was just the opposite. C'est la vie!

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Haven't had Ennerdale though.

It's not too much different from the regular Gawith Hoggarth offerings, just the smell is stronger.
After reading the article posted by Misterlowercase, I find it ironic that lately I've been trying to figure out how to make a pipe smoke itself, though in my case the desire comes from wanting to reduce wear and tear on my mouth. A self-smoking Cob would do just fine.

 

[sablebrush52]

Milne evidently owned a cased set of Barlings, which is why he could look askance at all those white spotted lemmings. ::

 

[misterlowercase]

Milne evidently owned a cased set of Barlings, which is why he could look askance at all those white spotted lemmings. ::

:D

LOL
Good one!
Probably true too,

now I'm curious what he favored...
...dammit!
Barling has always traditionally been the marque for true pipemen!
Poseurs need not apply.

:wink:

::

 

[mso489]

Because enough people like them well enough to pay that much, and that keeps them in business.

 

[phil67]

I don’t purchase very expensive pipes, but in all honesty I’ve never seen one Dunhill pipe that I was attracted to all that much. As for their pricing there isn’t any doubt in my mind that a very high percentage of the price is simply integrated into the name itself. Granted, their pipes may be of high quality briar, etc., but that certainly doesn’t account for their high prices on other items simply because it carries the name of Dunhill. One example would be a very simple pipe tamper that they carry which sells for $115.00 (pictured) simply because it carries their name. I have one that is the same thing which I purchased years ago and I believe I paid about $8.00 at the time. I seriously doubt that the workmanship on the Dunhill tamper, in comparison to the workmanship on mine, could in any way be justified to the ridiculous price being charged other than the name of Dunhill, if that is indeed a justification. But, then again such a price might very well be acceptable to some albeit I’ll never understand why. I’m quite confident that if by chance Dunhill started having aluminum pipe nails stamped out in China with the name of Dunhill on them and charged $50.00 a piece there would be those who would eagerly purchase them. Bottom line… the price being paid is all in a well established name and not really much more than that. But hey, whatever floats ones boat and is willing to pay is strictly up to them. Personally, if I decide to toss out some high coin for a pipe I’d rather it be an artisan pipe rather than paying good money simply for the name of Dunhill and a white dot on the stem.

 

[allan]

Their brand became synonymous with material and social success. Having Dunhill products came to symbolize one's taste and station in life, like other luxury goods. People who knew little about pipes knew the Dunhill name. It is that aura of prestige and excellence that continues to contribute to the high market price that people are willing to pay.

@Sable
My first purchase of a 'good' pipe was a Dunhill after 35 years of smoking cigars (started with pipes when I was 17=but switched over because it was too much work). I knew nothing about pipes, but somehow knew that 'Dunhill' was the best pipe to own, and I purchased several over the first year of smoking a pipe-1 new and several estates.
I have sold most of them. They performed well, but because I prefer bents, I found that the small draft hole at the button and the difficulty of getting a pipe cleaner all the way through the briar was just not worth the effort.
ESPECIALLY, when I discovered artisan pipes.
For me, the price of 250-500 for an estate Dunhill just isn't worth it when I could get artisan pipes such as Rad Davis, Jerry Crawford, J & J Pipes, Scott Thile, and the endless list of fine American and European makers who make a pipe one at a time with great care and attention to draft holes, stems and the list of things that can make a pipe smoke wonderfully.
I will reluctantly admit that 'brand' does have a place in my life, even though I try not to buy by that criteria alone.
But when the 'brand' doesn't live up to the hype, I will let it go.
Others feel otherwise, and that's fine.

 

[warren]

My brand loyalty only goes one way. A car vendor up here started requiring customers to show up at eight, first come, first served for repairs. I want appointments. This was during the "pipeline" years, lots of money floating around and customer service went south. I no longer drive what he sells. He's changed back to appointments now. I won't change back.
My father was in the wholesale business. He imparted an observation I never forgot, "It's easier to get new customers than it is to entice a disgruntled, former customer back."

 

[sablebrush52]

Hey Allan,
Good to have you back! I feel the same way. I still own Dunhills, and a couple of them are great pipes, but as a brand I don't find them innately superior to other makes. I'm still enjoying my Barlings and other pipes, but have been buying artisan pipes from makers that I like.

 

[ssjones]

As always, well played MLC. This thread has become a bit of a jam. Your clip reminds me that I haven't seen that film in many years. It found me smoking my '61 Dunhill Shell 120, a proper way to open the 2nd day of 2016. (although that definitely wasn't a Dunhill he knocked out on his shoe!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0gL52_ZNo4

 

[bigpond]

Thanks to the contributors, willing or otherwise, who saw fit to throw this thread a curveball and direct it away from odious tedium.
I'm now convinced of three things:
1- Terry Thomas is the finest gap toothed comedian to grace the silver screen.

2- Lakeland's are what you smoke when you reach the top of the mountain. The very pinnacle of the art and practice of kapnismology.

3- If Milne could afford a Dunhill there would be no Pooh Bear.
oh, and one other thing occurs. Seller sets the price, the buyer determines the value.

 

[admin]

I'm a collector and fan of Dunhills myself, and I am not offended by anything in this thread.
I think this has been a great discussion, and there's nothing new that I will add, except to say that there was one inappropriate response that has been removed.
This has run it's course, so please carry on with your favorite pipes and tobaccos. If you're enjoying it, you're doing it right. Please try not to judge others by their pipes and tobacco choices because they're different than yours.