English Estates: Dunhill Ruby Bark (3229) (2021) Tobacco Pipe

In petite Group 3 size, this "29" Author from Dunhill is a classic shape, though one not often crafted by the English marque. The Apple-like bowl features a smooth, chamfered rim that offsets the crisp, Ruby Bark sandblasted finish that dresses the stummel. The shank kicks high out of the robust transition before giving way to a saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite, their junction marked by a thick band of sterling silver, adding a classy accent to the pipe's overall design. Dunhill's saddle-stemmed renditions of the Author shape are quite rare, making this a highly collectable piece, especially for those who enjoy compact, travel-friendly designs, with this pipe coming in barely over five inches in total length.

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, crisp aesthetic accents of sterling silver for a colorful presentation that still retains a high level of formality.