Dunhill: Shell Briar (4203) (2013) Tobacco Pipe

Before Alfred Dunhill got into the tobacco and pipe business, he sold automotive accessories at Dunhill's Motorities. His first foray into pipe making was a combination of these two industries: the windshield pipe. Featuring a lifted rim designed to protect the bowl from a breeze while driving a car, these pipes were originally seen as nothing more than a novelty and were a financial failure. In a few short years, Dunhill would be the most famous name in pipe making, but the marque never forgot their first experiment. This traditional "03" Billiard dressed in the Shell Briar finish revives the original windshield pipe design, a piece of Dunhill history sure to entice any collector.

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.