Dunhill: Ring Grain with Silver (3109) (2022) Tobacco Pipe

Presented in Group 3 size, this "09" Canadian is a sleek, lightweight design that pairs a pert, upright bowl to an elongated oval shank and an abbreviated tapered stem. As part of a special release from Dunhill, this piece is dressed in the crisp Shell Briar finish and topped by a cumberland stem, a rare combination within the English marque's catalogue. For further visual appeal, a sterling silver accent adorns the shank end and provides a dose of flash to the overall form. The Shell Briar sandblast draws out particularly choice growth rings, which earned this piece the marque's prestigious "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.