Dunhill: Ruby Bark (5217) (2023) Tobacco Pipe

The Bulldog is a classic shape, of that there is no doubt, with a distinctly muscular design that focuses the attention on the bowl. Dunhill has here rendered that shape in an interesting way with this "17," featuring muscular shaping cues and a powerful squatness. The stem is a diamond-shaped saddle of jet-black vulcanite whose base is lined with a quartet of firm ridgelines, informing the shape of the shank, a stout stretch of briar that transitions smoothly into the bowl. The bowl itself is incredibly squat, resting on a ridged heel and featuring a single ridgeline that denotes a taper toward the rim. This particular offering is dressed in the crisp, vibrant sandblast of the Ruby Bark line, showcasing handsome grain throughout the stummel.

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.