Dunhill: Ruby Bark with Silver (6401) (2019) Tobacco Pipe

Presented in Group 6 size, Dunhill's largest on their standard shape chart, this bent Apple offers massive, hearty proportions that fill the palm. The striking, rounded bowl is presented in cross grain orientation, offering a wealth of engaging texture and showcasing blasted birdseye across either flank. The thick rounded shank and tapered stem add to the muscularity of the piece, matching the robust proportions of the bowl. The black vulcanite stem tapers off from the shank and bends in a small downturn that accentuates the tall, upright nature of the bowl and perfectly complements the gorgeous Ruby Bark sandblast.

Dunhill's Ruby Bark finish is one that's gone through a fairly extensive evolution since its inception in 1972. It began as the Redbark and has always remained a red-stained sandblast, but the color was brightened a few years after its introduction before Dunhill returned to the original, darker hue in 1976. Eventually, though, the Redbark was discontinued in 1987. After a hiatus of several decades, the same ruby-stained sandblast was re-imagined in the form of today's Ruby Bark finish, adding to the rich aesthetic crisp accents of sterling silver for a colorful presentation that still retains a high level of formality.