English Estates: Dunhill Ring Grain (5) (RG) (Replacement Stem) Tobacco Pipe

Displaying a bowl oriented heft and sandblast, this Billiard, as part of Dunhill's Ring Grain series, appropriately showcases a lovely array of undulating growth rings from heel to rim. A trim shank connects the stummel to the length of tapered vulcanite that is the stem, the shank's gentle taper accelerated at the stem's bit. The bowl is appropriately sizable, being that this is a Group 5 pipe, and proudly holds the eponymous grain for which this line is famous, the undulating bands wavering up the bowl's entirety, providing a myriad of tactile details sure to enthrall.

Having earned the English marque's prestigious Ring Grain designation, this Dunhill piece wears a particularly choice iteration of the Shell Briar sandblast — displaying stunning waves of ring grain across the stummel. 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.