English Estates: Dunhill Shell Briar with Silver Army Mount (4102) Tobacco Pipe

A well-measured Group 4 offering, this "02" bent Billiard from Dunhill is a handsome showcase of the English marque's refined shaping style. It features a pert, upright bowl formed by supple walls traveling from heel to rim. Joined to the bowl out back is a balanced, upturned shank fashioned with a silver military mount, which both adds a dose of flash to the design and allows this piece to be broken down even while hot. From there, the mount accepts a smartly bent tapered stem of rich cumberland, which pairs with the shank to offer a comfortable jaw-hanging posture. The stem's palette offers a fine bit of contrast to the stummel, which wears a crisp, inky sandblast courtesy of Dunhill's iconic Shell Briar finish.

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.