English Estates: Dunhill Shell Briar (6103) (2003) Tobacco Pipe

Though a sizable and capacious Group 6, this Dunhill "03" straight Billiard still preserves the form's elegant lines and balanced proportions. The transition, for example, is well-defined, and the length of the shank-and-stem combination offers a nice visual balance to the tall, stout and capaciously chambered bowl. The flattened undersides enables it to sit stably and the hand-cut vulcanite stem tapers with ease toward the lip button. It's wearing the marque's grain-defining, dark, Shell Briar sandblast, showcasing some lovely arrays of rippling growth rings and adding to the overall sophisticated aesthetic.

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.