English Estates: Dunhill Tanshell (387) (4) (T) (1960) (Replacement Tenon) Tobacco Pipe

A handsome piece, this Dunhill "196" epitomizes the look of the straight Billiard. With an arrow-straight shank-and-stem combination, slightly elongated for added sleekness, and a slightly canted, decently chambered bowl, it displays a good show of blasted birdseye along the flanks of the bowl, thanks to the medium sandblast of the Tanshell finish, which has darkened with use since this pipe's inception. A vintage piece from 1960, it's ready for a spot in a collection of English classics.

Created in 1951, the Tanshell marked Dunhill's fourth finish behind the Bruyere (1910), Shell Briar (1917), and Root Briar (1931); however, Dunhill didn't complete the "Tanshell" stamp until December 1951, waiting until 1952 to actually introduce the first Tanshell pipes. Considered one of the English marque's rarest, most collectible finishes, the Tanshell boasts a concise sandblast but unlike the dark-stained Shell Briar, the Tanshell is naturally stained, intended to develop a warm patina as it darkens with prolonged use over time.