Dunhill: Difference between revisions

<blockquote><q>These third party made pipes initially carried in the Duke Street shop in 1907 were given shape numbers running from 1 through 30, with shapes 1 and 3 being copied by Dunhill in 1985 for its seventy-fifth anniversary of pipe making set. I do not presently know how these 1907 pipes were stamped but if I were to hazard a guess it would be DUNHILL over DUKE ST. S.W. on one side with the shape number either on that side or the reverse. <br><br>In 1909 Dunhill began an in-house pipe repair business and a year later, in March 1910 expanded to a two-man pipe making operation  primarily using bowls shaped in France.</q> Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998)</blockquote>

<blockquote><q>I understand that the pipes sold in the period since the opening of the Duke street store in 1907 until to opening of his own manufacture on 7 March 1910 were obtained from English wholesalers, possibly from wholesaler Alfred J. Nathan (for the less expensive varnished qualities made from Algerian Briar) and from Adolph Posner (for more expensive Straight Grains). As to the manufacturing origin of those early pipes and if they were manufactured in the UK, France or otherwise, I have no knowledge.</q> Hener, K. S., Product Line Director - The White Spot Smoker's Accessory Division and Walthamstow site.</blockquote>

<blockquote><q>With the opening of its own manufacture, most pipes were completely made in-house. Some of the bowls selected and graded in the first of the manufacturing processes in 1920 possibly came from St. Claude in France. However, as perhaps those were of lessening quality or becoming too expensive, Alfred Dunhill established a bowl-turning unit at 20 St. Pancras Road near King’s Cross station.</q> Hener, K. S., Product Line Director - The White Spot Smoker's Accessory Division and Walthamstow site.</blockquote>

At the beginning Dunhill's pipes was a limited production straight grain, hand-cut from over century-old briar burls and fitted with hand-cut 'push' vulcanite bits.

<blockquote><q>These pipes were individually priced from ten shillings six pence to over four pounds.· I am not sure how these pipes were stamped but most likely DUNHILL over DUKE ST.  S.W. appeared on the shank with either a "B" or a "DR" near the bowl. A "B" stamping is possible since at that point in time "B" denoted Dunhill’s highest quality pipe. On the other hand I believe "DR" more likely as that stamping was being used to denote straight grained pipes by at least as early as 1915. While these pipes in time became a high end subset to the Dunhill 'Bruyere' (and later the Root) line initially they should be distinguished as these straight grain pipes were hand cut in London from burls as opposed to the Bruyere line which was generally finished from French turned bowls until 1920. (The qualifier 'generally' is used here because any pre 1920 OD, HW or letter shape Bruyeres were most probably also carved from burls in London).</q> Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998)</blockquote>

<blockquote><q>If we talk about the earliest Dunhill pipes during the Motorities period (1904 – 1907), there were 3 qualities: A Quality (“First quality Briar, with finest vulcanite hand-finished mouthpiece”), B Quality (“specially selected Briars, hand-made”)  and a Popular quality, which was lower grade and price. <br>Later, once his own production started, the nomenclature was similar: A Quality, the more expensive B Quality and tye much more expensive limited production Straight Grain pipes.</q> Hener, K. S., Product Line Director - The White Spot Smoker's Accessory Division and Walthamstow site.</blockquote>