Dunhill: Shell Briar Quaint Bent Billiard (3) (2019)

Dunhill's Quaint series accepts pipes of all shapes and sizes, its nomenclature denoting pieces that fall outside of the standard shape chart, through either slight or extreme changes. Compare this shape to the English marque's "02" bent Billiard shape and it's plain to see that this pipe is an example of the latter. The standard mortise/tenon shank and stem arrangement has been replaced with a slender military mounted taper, the black vulcanite mount meeting an extremely abbreviated, nearly flat, shank. The heel is bereft of all curve, instead a flat sitting surface from which the bowl grows, tapering toward a slender waistline before flaring toward the rearward slanting rim. Dressed in the handsome and textural Shell Briar sandblast, this piece is sure to be a standout in any collection, and an excellent practical smoker.

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.