Dunhill » Dunhill: 612

Bezugsquelle: http://www.finepipes.com

Dunhill 1977 Shape 612 (LC) Tanshell Bent Billiard

The mid-70's found Dunhill making some of the largest "catalog" shapes in its history in the course of working its way through a cache of very large blocks that had been stored in the workshop for many years. Among these is the 612, the final incarnation of the famous "LC" shape that Alfred himself had begun developing in the 1920's.

This remarkable example is actually more refined and graceful than the earlier LC's. Note the olive shaped bowl, the elegantly curved and tapered shank, and the long, handcut vulcanite taper bit which rises several inches above the top of the bowl in the best LC fashion. It is almost certainly cut from the Sardinian briar that Dunhill originally specified for the tanshell, and shows a most attractive and craggy blast.

This pipe came from a distinguished German collector, who cannot have smoked it more than once or twice, as it remains in superb condition in all regards. Although it came to me as you see it, I will provide a Dunhill box and sleeve suitable to the era.

Bezugsquelle: http://www.finepipes.com

Dunhill 1977 Shell Shape 612 Bent Billiard

According to John Loring, in the '70's, Dunhill found a cache of very large blocks of high quality briar in a corner of the factory, where they had apparently been set aside for many years. These were turned by hand into some of the largest production pipes that Dunhill had ever made. Included among these were the so called 612's. These resembled the old LC shape, and while slightly smaller than the LC, were substantially larger than the similarly shaped 120.

This is a quite striking example of this shape. It was cut from very high quality block of straight grained Algerian briar, and after blasting, shows distinct ring grain all around the tall bowl and down the long tubular shank. The quality of execution and finish is the equal of pre-War pipes, and it is fitted with an especially nice handcut vulcanite taper bit.

The '70's are not regarded as a halcyon period at Dunhill, as they were in the process of transforming themselves from tobacconists into purveyors of high grade, overpriced goods that one might (and indeed does) see in a duty free shop at Healthrow. But this pipe, and others like it, prove that Dunhill could still make a first rate pipe in house, comparable in quality to the best pre-War production.

This example is virtually pristine, and appears (though is not) unsmoked.

Mit freundlicher Genehmigung von: http://www.tecon-gmbh.de

Alfred Dunhill Shell 612 "1976" Estate



Hersteller: Alfred Dunhill

Modellbezeichnung: Shell
612

Made in: England16
(1976)

Größe: 6

Shape: Large Bent

Typ: Serie

Pfeifenkopf: Bruyere

Mundstück: Kautschuk
Fish-tail
Wide-bore

Bohrung: 5,4mm oF

Applikation: Keine

Bezugsquelle: http://www.bisgaard-pipes.com

Dunhill Root Briar 612