Alfred
Dunhill began to manufacture briar smoking pipes in 1910;
the famous white
spot first appeared on top of the hand-cut vulcanite mouthpiece in 1915
in order that
the customer should know which part faced upwards. At about this same time a one
year guarantee against defects was offered on the bowl of each pipe, and to
insure against far older Dunhill pipes being replaced under this guarantee a
simple dating code, showing the year of manufacture, was devised and stamped
onto each pipe bowl. This code is still in use today.
Over
the ensuing years great interest has arisen over the "mystique" of the
Dunhill pipe in general and the dating code in particular. Pipe collectors,
especially in America, pride themselves on having acquired Dunhill pipes in
prime condition which were made in the 1920's,
1930's and 1940's.
Some collectors
strive to acquire only those Dunhill pipes made between 1920
(when Dunhill
stopped buying bowls turned in France in favor of those turned in London at the
newly opened Dunhill bowl-turning facility) and 1928
(the year of
Alfred Dunhill's retirement). Consequently, much confusion has arisen over the
dating code because it has not been standardized over the years, and seemingly
minor differences in the code can mean a difference of years, even decades, in
the manufacture of the pipe.
Adding
to this is the fact that the firm has used a great many special stampings
depending on what part of the world to which their pipes were destined, and that
sometimes these stampings or codes were used for only three or four months
duration.
Leading
to even greater confusion is that many pipes were simply stamped incorrectly; at
times one part or another of the code is not to be found on a given pipe.
Taking
all this into account it should not be surprising that the original and complete
dating code list, in possession of the firm's archivist at 30 Duke Street, is
some twenty eight pages long. And even if this list was made available it would
be of little use to any but the most expert because it can only be used in
conjunction with the most precise knowledge of the Dunhill pipe as it has
changed in appearance over the years.
But
enough of the complications in dating Dunhill pipes. What follows is a
"general guide" as to dating; with it the reader should be able to
date the majority of Dunhill pipes with which he/she comes into contact.
Types of finish:
1) Bruyere -introduced
in 1910; signified by an "A" (meaning' best quality) on the side of
the shank through 1975. "Inner Tube" stamped on shank through 1934.
2) Root
- introduced in 1930; signified by an "R" stamped on the shank through
1975.
3) Shell
- introduced in 1917.
4) Tanshell
-introduced in 1953.
5) Redbark
-introduced in 1973.
6) Cumberland
-introduced in 1980.
Special series:
