Dunhill: Ruby Bark (4104) (2018) Tobacco Pipe

On the leaner, more classically oriented end of Dunhill's shaping spectrum (even in Group 4 size), the English marque's "04" straight Bulldog is crisp of line and tightly-knit, boasting a pronounced forward-cant in profile, lending it a strongly traditional disposition. The Ruby Bark sandblast does an excellent job here of lending the piece a fine texture, both visually and in hand, but without compromising the shape's clean lines.

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.