Dunhill: Ring Grain (4144) (2021) Tobacco Pipe

The Duke and the Don shapes from Dunhill are both long-stemmed variations of the Poker design. They're tall, cylindrical, and sit sturdily on a flat surface. However, the "44" Duke, seen here, is devoid of shank, the mortise instead inset directly into the bowl and reinforced with metal. To this, then, attaches a fuselage-type shank/stem, also reinforced with metal, capped with a vulcanite mouthpiece on the end. It makes for a lithe profile and iconic silhouette, here dressed in the Shell Briar sandblast, revealing grain striking enough to have earned it the celebrated Ring Grain designation.

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.