English Estates: Dunhill Ruby Bark (4103) (2007) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Few shapes from any artisan, workshop, or marque are as iconic as Dunhill's "03" Billiard. Rendered here in the equally archetypal Group 4 size and featuring a vulcanite tapered stem emblazoned with the White Spot, this pipe screams Dunhill. However, a few elements make this pipe stand out, namely the shimmering silver band adorning the shank end and the Ruby Bark finish, one of Dunhill's rarer offerings.

Dunhill's Ruby Bark finish is one that's gone through a fairly extensive evolution since its inception in 1972. It began as the Redbark and has always remained a red-stained sandblast, but the color was brightened a few years after its introduction before Dunhill returned to the original, darker hue in 1976. Eventually, though, the Redbark was discontinued in 1987. After a hiatus of several decades, the same ruby-stained sandblast was reimagined in the form of today's Ruby Bark finish, adding to the rich aesthetic crisp accents of sterling silver for a colorful presentation that still retains a high level of formality.