Dunhill: Shell Briar (5117) (2023) Tobacco Pipe

Dunhill's Group 5 is the English marque's second largest size designation within its standard Groups, behind only Group 6. Oftentimes, that results in a particularly tall bowl and deep chamber, but in this "17" Bulldog, much of the piece's size is attributed to width and hearty muscularity. Indeed, the chamber here is almost as broad as it is deep, and the bowl is splayed horizontally, easily cradled and filling the palm substantially — the form almost Tomato-like in its breadth, but paired to the Bulldog's characteristic diamond shank and wrapped by a crisp ridgeline just above the transition.

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.