English Estates: Dunhill Christmas Pipe 2005 Shell Briar (237/400) (with Case) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

"Under the microscope I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty and it seemed a shame that the beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted the design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone without leaving any record behind." - Wilson A Bentley

Dunhill's 2005 Christmas Pipe paid tribute to Wilson Alwyn Bentley, who in 1885 became the first person to successfully photograph the subtle intricacies of snow crystals. Fittingly, each piece in this limited edition run of 400 pipes featured a 10mm band of 18ct rose gold, stamped with a snowflake design as an homage to Bentley's work all those years ago. This particular Group 4, "25" Opera shape was the 237th pipe in the series, finished in the dark, understated garb of the Shell Briar for an elegant, classy presentation overall. Surprisingly, the pipe itself is still in unsmoked, mint condition, and even comes nestled within its own white leather presentation box complete with its original letter of authenticity and Dunhill-branded precious metal polishing cloths.

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.