Dunhill: County (4122) (2016) Tobacco Pipe

Dunhill's "22" Poker is a classic, thoroughly traditional design, especially in this stolid Group 4 rendition. The cylindrical bowl possesses a flattened heel that enables the piece to sit sturdily without the aid of pipe stand, while the subtly inflated rim provides a touch of softness to the form's crisp line work. Dunhill's take on the Poker shape differs from other pipe makers' renditions in that the transition rests just above the heel, instead of higher on the bowl, with the low-set shank-and-stem arrangement drawing more focus to the bowl's firm presence. Dressed in the English marque's County sandblast, this is an aesthetically fetching design that should make for a rather stunning desk pipe.

Like the Cumberland finish, Dunhill's County line pairs rich, cumberland stems with delightfully textured sandblasts. Typically, County pieces wear a lighter stain, often falling between the Cumberland and Tanshell hues, and since its introduction in 1986, with only a brief hiatus, the County remains stalwart within Dunhill's portfolio, especially desired by lovers of brindled vulcanite and warm sandblasts.