Translations:The History of Dunhill's Shell/15/en
In the 1990s there was a return to the first blasting techniques. These blasts had more personality, but nothing compared to the pipes of the past. The dyeing of this line was a dark wine color, which exposed to light presented a reddish tone to this series. At some point in the 1960s, the color was altered to black, but this too was rejected, and the original coloration was restored. Here we have some examples of the variations the process has undergone through the years:
Two very early examples. The top piece is from 1918 and carries the #24 stamp (the size of the “Inner Tube,” not the shape). This pipe would later be referred to as the “O” in the catalog. The bottom pipe is a 1925 PO shape in exquisite condition. From the G.L. Pease Collection [1]
A 1927 Dunhill Shell Patent Pipe 120 Shape Bottom: A 1965 Dunhill Shell 120 Shape - Note how the size, depth of sandblasting, and overall design changed over time. It should be noted that the 1927 model has a replacement mouthpiece, and has had a shank repair. Early 120 shape pipes are notorious for having thin and elegant shanks that are prone to breakage - Courtesy of Mike Ahmadi
A 1937 Shell LB, G.L. Pease collection [2]