Shell Briar with Silver Army Mount (4407) (2010) Tobacco Pipe

I'll confess to being partial to the sort of stark, heavy black as seen on Dunhill's Shell Briars. Although a sandblasted briar sports a different texture, it nonetheless rather reminds me of the look of the smoked blackthorn traditionally used for walking sticks and shillelaghs in Britain and Ireland (and, suitably enough in reference to the English Dunhill, the blackthorn's fruit is further used for making sloe gin in rural England). Like the authentic blackthorn cane, which can be damn hard to find these days (most being apple or cherry sticks made-up to look like blackthorn), a Dunhill briar is a beautifully anachronistic celebration of honest tradition.

- Eric N. Squires