Dunhill: Root Briar Oom Paul with Silver (DR**) (2022) Tobacco Pipe

This Oom Paul from Dunhill is a striking interpretation of the classic shape, offering all of the form's characteristic features — namely, the stout, muscular bowl and the vertically inclined shank-and-stem arrangement. A hearty design, this piece boasts a capacious chamber, ensuring plenty of long, leisurely smoking sessions, which the steeply curved saddle stem will surely aid. It's dressed here in the coveted Root Briar finish, which highlights a gorgeous showing of flame grain throughout the stummel, grain so nice it's earned the vaunted Dead Root grade: reserved for only the best Root Briars. For further visual appeal, a band of sterling silver adorns the junction and ties the entire form together with a touch of vibrant flash.

Dunhill's "DR" designation on certain Root Briars signifies a special class of pipes: Dead Root. Like all Root Briars, these pieces maintain flawless briar, but with especially choice grain on display. Before the Root Briar line's introduction in 1931, "DR" was stamped on Bruyere pipes that showed handsome grain, but Dunhill wanted a more grain-defining finish, leading to the creation of the Root Briar. Starting in 1979, The White Spot extended the grade further — replacing the letter grading system with stars, increasing in prestige from one to seven. A Dead Root pipe represents the best of Dunhill's standard selection, yet remains quite rare compared to the English marque's overall lineup.