Dunhill: Tanshell (5104) (2018)

Both Dunhill's "17" and "04" shape numbers refer to straight Bulldog designs, complete with diamond shanks and tapered rims, defined by either a crisp beadline or more subtle ridgeline. Where the designs differ is in their height — the "17" being considerably more squat and low-set than the taller "04." This particular Group 5 rendition of the "04" is a muscular take on the classic shape, the bowl pert and upright in its stance. It opts for a subtle ridgeline rather than the shape's signature beadlines, the ridgeline almost invisible underneath the craggy sandblast and all the blasted birdseye it highlights in the Tanshell finish.

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.