Alfred Dunhill Imperial Dragon Shell Briar Billiard (Limited 51/88)

The Imperial Dragon is a limited-edition series from Dunhill that honors the mythical, legendary creature. The shape chosen for the series was a Group 4-sized “03” Billiard, which is the marque’s best-selling shape. While the stamping serializes this piece as number 51 out of 88, there’s actually only 70 pieces offered in the Shell Briar finish as any number containing the numeral “4” has been excluded. The special line was created to inform about the importance of the Imperial Dragon to Chinese and East Asian history and culture. This offering is fitted with a sterling silver dragon head windshield containing red rubies for eyes, in intricate, hand-sculpted detail while the shank-end is accented with a 10mm silver band featuring the words “Imperial Dragon” engraved along the top. This highly collectible pipe is presented in a leather-bound book within a custom-made case and comes complete with its own hand-signed certificate of authenticity. It’s here presented in the crisp texture of the Shell Briar sandblast, with the stummel’s dark stain and the hand-cut, vulcanite stem working in tandem with the precious metals to create a striking, dress pipe aesthetic. The Shell Briar’s addition to the Dunhill catalog was a pivotal moment in pipe smoking history. Before 1917, pipes with sandblasted finishes had never been made, and Alfred Dunhill’s innovative mind created arguably the most popular finish for pipes today when he unveiled the Shell Briar. With its dark, reserved color palette and delightful texture, it’s no surprise that it’s still wildly popular over a century later.

Brand:  Alfred Dunhill
Origin:  UK

In stock