Dunhill: Ring Grain Quaint Dublin (5) (2018) Tobacco Pipe

A fitting shape for Dunhill's Quaint series — a line devoted to pipes that don't conform exactly to the English marque's standard shape chart — this piece combines elements of the Poker and Dublin shapes for a striking silhouette. Flattened of base and cylindrical through the lower bowl, it sits sturdily, while the upper bowl flares dramatically into an inflated, smooth-polished rim of ruby red tinge. The rim, then, contrasts against the stummel's Shell Briar sandblast, this particular block of briar having revealed a stunning show of growth rings, earning it the superlative "Ring Grain" stamp.

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.