English Estates: Dunhill Root Briar with 9K Gold (780) (4) (R) (1960) Tobacco Pipe

Dated to 1960, this vintage "780" Billiard from Dunhill possesses a distinctive profile, the design featuring a Brandy-esque character through the bowl. Said bowl is formed by smooth, supple walls rising from the rounded heel and gently tapering toward the rim, supported by a low-set waist that lends the pipe a plumpness in hand. Out back, a broad oval shank and tapered stem extend out of the wide transition, the junction adorned with a band of genuine 9-karat gold for an elegant bit of contrast against the stem's black vulcanite. As a vintage example of a rare shape, this example is already an alluring piece for Dunhill enthusiasts, and it's dressed in the rich, honeyed tones of the Root Briar finish to further cement its appeal.

The highest honor for a Dunhill pipe is to receive the prestigious Root Briar appellation. Root Briars have been coveted by pipe smokers ever since they first debuted in 1931, due to the fact that each pipe must boast briar completely free of even the most minor of blemishes. Dunhill has the strictest of standards and expectations for quality with all of their pipes, and so any block of briar that comes to bear the Root Briar stamp must indeed be superlative.