Dunhill: Shell Briar (4144) (2021) Tobacco Pipe

Dunhill's "44" shape is quite the iconic profile from the English marque and is a rather modern take on the Poker design that stands out quite strikingly among the White Spot's mostly traditional portfolio. Lovingly nicknamed the Duke, this piece pairs the Poker's cylindrical bowl to an extended, all-metal shank that pushes directly into the briar bowl and is fitted with a svelte tapered stem. This unique configuration affords the pipe a reduced weight and a willowy silhouette that lends the bowl the vast majority of the visual weight, though the singular combination of shank and stem ensures that all of this piece is appreciated. Dressing this piece is the inky sandblast of the Shell Briar sandblast, lending it a low-profile, understated aesthetic punctuated by the exposed silvery metal at the junction area.

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.