English Estates: Dunhill Tanshell (48) (F/T) (4) (T) (1967) Tobacco Pipe

A Group 4-sized Bulldog from Dunhill, this vintage offering is trim, with the bowl displaying a subtle ridgeline rather than the traditional beadlines. The lower half tapers sharply toward the pointed heel, resembling a ship's prow as seen from the front. The English marque's Tanshell sandblast is executed wonderfully on this handsome pipe, which is pleasingly textural in hand.

Created in 1951, the Tanshell marked Dunhill's fourth finish behind the Bruyere (1910), Shell Briar (1917), and Root Briar (1931); however, Dunhill didn't complete the "Tanshell" stamp until December 1951, waiting until 1952 to actually introduce the first Tanshell pipes. Considered one of the English marque's rarest, most collectible finishes, the Tanshell boasts a concise sandblast but unlike the dark-stained Shell Briar, the Tanshell is naturally stained, intended to develop a warm patina as it darkens with prolonged use over time.