English Estates: Dunhill Shell Briar Quaint Bent Dublin (5) (2018) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

The Quaint series from Dunhill is a category for those pipes that aren't standard shapes. It's for more creative work, like this bent Dublin, showcasing the imagination and ingenuity of the White Spot's renowned craftsmen. Dunhill has certainly toyed with the standard limitations of length and height with this tall, Stack-like bowl, which is more rounded at rim and heel and almost Danish in character. Meanwhile, the shank-and-stem combination curls demurely behind in slender diminution to further accentuate the bowl's trim, yet expansive height. Presented unsmoked.

The Shell Briar's addition to the Dunhill catalog was a pivotal moment in pipe-smoking history. Before 1917, pipes with sandblasted finishes had never been made, and Alfred Dunhill's innovative mind created arguably the most popular finish for pipes today when he unveiled the Shell Briar. With its dark, reserved color palette and delightful texture, it's no surprise that it's still wildly popular over a century later.