Dunhill: Ring Grain (3202) (2019) Tobacco Pipe

Dunhill's "02" design is an archetypal rendition of the classic bent Billiard, with other makers and artisans even looking to The White Spot as the standard for classic proportions and shaping cues. This Group 3 example is a choice iteration: Fitted to a saddle stem, the slender mouthpiece lends the stummel a more muscular character, though the pipe remains conveniently compact overall. Dressed in the iconic Shell Briar sandblast, the stout bowl offers pleasing texture in hand, with the stummel showcasing some excellent grain that's earned this pipe the coveted Ring Grain appellation.

Having earned the English marque's prestigious Ring Grain designation, this Dunhill piece wears a particularly choice iteration of the Shell Briar sandblast — displaying stunning waves of ring grain across the stummel. 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.