Dunhill Additional Stamps: Difference between revisions

These additional codes were added by the retail stores - that's why they were not uniform. For example, situations that the pipes were not sold in the same year of production, it was a way to establish a new warranty period. In cases where the customer requested a F/T stem (for example) or some minor cosmetic issue was found, the pipe returned to the factory and, in some cases, received a new coverage date. In these situations the extra date-code is uniform.

<q>Prior to 1922 Dunhill marketed some 'seconds' or as termed by the company "faIlings" under the Dunhill brand name. Final examination in the Dunhill production process came after stamping and finishing and it appears from one example seen that pipes failing that examination were stamped with a large distinctive "X" over the DUNHILL stamping and then sold in the shop at a discount. From another example seen it appears that pipes 'dinged' at the Duke Street shop or otherwise selected for price reduction were stamped "DAMAGED PRICE [followed by the reduced price]" on an otherwise empty unstamped area of the pipe, i.e. the bottom of the shank on a Bruyere. In fact, the very pipe that is often considered the first Dunhill ultimately became a 'second'. This was the 'windshield' pipe that Alfred Dunhill had manufactured in 1905. When that pipe proved less then a success Dunhill had the distinctive 'windshield' cut off and sold the recut pieces at a discounted price.<br><br>Up to 1920 Dunhill had it's bowls cut for it in St. Claude France. The grading after the bowl turning process is where many a flaw is spotted and as long as the bowl turning was done in St. Claude Dunhill was able to leave the 'failings' behind and had only to deal with those flawed pieces that cropped up in the oil treatment, carving, and finishing process. Thus while as late as 1919 Dunhill considered introducing a 'seconds' line that would have been called the Red Spot pipe, the 'failings' were not significant enough to warrant such a course. However, when Dunhill began turning it's own bowls in 1920 with the consequent substantial 'failings' it had little choice but to form, as it did Alfred Dunhill did not believe in waste and similar to the above, during its the first decade Dunhill also offered a reduced price, ever-changing My Mixture blend #75 which consisted of all the left over tobacco from custom blending mixed together. in 1922, the Parker Pipe Company to finish and market those 'failings'.· It appears that with the formation of Parker Dunhill ended the marketing of any seconds, as such, bearing the Dunhill brand.</q> Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998).  

<blockquote><q>From the 1920's through the 1960's a "C" was used in the shape stamping preceding the shape number to signify a churchwarden. Pipes of that period with churchwarden stems but no "C" in the shape nomenclature can be suspected of having a churchwarden bit later fitted to a pipe not initially intended to be a churchwarden.</q> Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998). </blockquote>

<q>I have seen subscript square stops on DRs dating from the 1910s to 1922 stamped either before or after DUKE ST S.W. or LONDON. Other then the subscript stop noted with respect to a Root DR I have seen no such markings in connection with the root finish. However I have seen a subscript square on 1931 and 1937 Shells following the shape/category stampings. Likewise a square subscript stop has been found on a late '30s DR immediately following the "DRR" stamping (which is stamped where the "A" would normally be found on a Bruyere). I have found no information as to the rationale for these seemingly random circles, stops, and numbers, but since there is nothing else random about the Dunhill nomenclature I strongly suspect that these ancillary stamps in fact began as uptick work/quality/pricing codes.</q> Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998).

<blockquote>"SECONDARY STAMPINGS. Secondary light randomly placed stampings have been found on some pipes dating from the late '40s to the mid '50s. The stampings include for instance "-11" , "811-" and "B52". The meaning of these stampings is not presently known but one can speculate from the light random placement nature of the stampings and the absence of the same from the factory stamping log that they are post production marks related to distribution and marketing.</blockquote>

<blockquote>RESTAMPING. Occasionally, when a pipe was sent to Dunhill for repair, parts of the nomenclature that were worn were restamped. In addition Dunhill has on occasion restamped worn nomenclature on otherwise healthy pipes. This restamping can sometimes be spotted when the stamping tools used do not match the style of the original nomenclature. In addition it can be suspected when there are signs of double (i.e. over) strikes. On the other hand such double strikes may also occur at the time of production when the first strike was deemed too weak." Loring, J. C., The Dunhill Briar Pipe, The Patent Years and After (self-published, Chicago, 1998).</blockquote>

<blockquote><q>Over my 45 years of collecting Dunhill pipe - I have seen these odd markings. I am of the opinion that they are marks put on by dealers. For instance, I saw a DRR from the 1930’s that a had a small H sideways. I have seen small letters placed in odd places on the shanks. I spoke to Dunhill long before the current management was on board and they were of the opinion that they were ‘after markings’. All Dunhill nomenclature has a meaning - price, shape and date.</q> Richard Esserman - 2019.</blockquote>