English Estates: Dunhill Tanshell (33) (F/T) (3) (T) (1968) Tobacco Pipe

Dated to 1968, this Billiard from Dunhill showcases the timelessness of their shape chart, presenting a streamlined profile that speaks to the well-balanced proportions and sleek design of English pipe making. The softly rounded bowl sits poised at the front of the piece, with the low-slung shank-and-stem combination bolstering its firm posture with straight lines. Light weight and agile in hand, this piece wears the lovely Tanshell sandblast, revealing handsome grain throughout and dressing the briar in a warm tan stain, something that has colored quite nicely with patina over the years.

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.