Dunhill: Ruby Bark (4114) (2022) Tobacco Pipe

This "14" bent Dublin from Dunhill offers flowing lines and a sinuous profile in muscular Group 4 proportions. Flared to the rim, the bowl possesses a sweeping heel that carries momentum into the upturned shank and arcing tapered stem. The shank-and-stem arrangement strikes a willowy S-curve that promotes a comfortable smoking posture while also providing the composition with a nice bit of curvature. The crimson hues of the Ruby Bark sandblast dress the stummel here, revealing some handsome grain throughout and solidifying this pipe's timeless looks. It's all tied together by a handsome band of sterling silver whose vibrant shimmer further elevates the composition.

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 reimagined 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.