Dunhill: Tanshell Quaint Bent Billiard Sitter (4) (2017) Tobacco Pipe

The Quaint series designates pipes that fall outside of the Dunhill's traditional shape chart, making for some truly unique variations on classic pipe designs. While this bent Billiard has all the qualities one would expect from the design, with its cylindrical bowl and chamber, the flattened heel makes this piece an ideal sitter for hands-free smoking. In Group 4 size, this piece is lightweight, yet sturdy, in hand and boasts a fluid quality that extends throughout the pipe, emphasized by the lithe tapered stem that bends high off the stummel. The jet-black of the vulcanite contrasting nicely with the more earthy tones of the Tan Shell 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.