Dunhill "stamping" guide??

[Hendu3270]

Anyone know of a guide that states what the various stampings on a Dunhill mean? I've looked at Pipe-edia and it talks about 5 two-digit numbers. Hoping to simply find a list and what they mean. Thanks.

[dmkerr]

Check out Rick Hacker's book, The Ultimate Pipe Book. It's all in there. That's one of those things I used to know right off the top of my noodle but I can't remember stuff at my age. In fact... where am I????

If someone more knowledgable than I doesn't "pipe up" (pun intended) before I get home tonight, I'll check the book and post the answers for you.

[Hendu3270]

Great, thanks dm!

[dmkerr]

Okie dokie - here we go. Most of this stuff is direct quotes from Hacker:

Up until 1955, all Dunills had a patent number and a single digit year date.

From 1955-1960, they had a single digit denoting thelast number of the year in which it was made (i.e 5 was 1955, 0 was 1960)

From '60-'69, they put a line under this single number (underscore)

In the 1970's, they put two digits with an underscore line - 11 was 1971, 12 was '72, etc

In the 1980's, the two digit number starts with a 2 and ends with the year the pipe was made - 21 is 1981, 22 is 1982, etc.

As the book was written in the 1980's, this is where I stop. My guess is that the 1990's, they either underscored the two digit numbers starting with 2 or started in on the 3's. Bear Graves could tell you more on that. My only Dunhill is stamped with the number 24 with an underscore so I'm guessing it was made in 1994.

[rrb]

Try pipephil.eu

[Hendu3270]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

Okie dokie - here we go. Most of this stuff is direct quotes from Hacker:

Up until 1955, all Dunills had a patent number and a single digit year date.

From 1955-1960, they had a single digit denoting thelast number of the year in which it was made (i.e 5 was 1955, 0 was 1960)

From '60-'69, they put a line under this single number (underscore)

In the 1970's, they put two digits with an underscore line - 11 was 1971, 12 was '72, etc

In the 1980's, the two digit number starts with a 2 and ends with the year the pipe was made - 21 is 1981, 22 is 1982, etc.

As the book was written in the 1980's, this is where I stop. My guess is that the 1990's, they either underscored the two digit numbers starting with 2 or started in on the 3's. Bear Graves could tell you more on that. My only Dunhill is stamped with the number 24 with an underscore so I'm guessing it was made in 1994.

See this is what is confusing me. I read something similar to this online and it speaks mainly of "2 digit" numbers. The one I am receiving is probably not too old. It is the same design as the Dunhill 1984 Christmas pipe. This pipe is stamped under the stem "DUNHILL CUMBERLAND" and then under the bowl it has "121 6106". When I look at new Dunhill pipes at various sites they seem to have a similar number I guess being the model number, (5106, 2106, etc.). So I'm assuming the 6106 is the model number, but I don't know what the "121" stands for. In the back of my mind I'm wondering if this pipe might actually be a Christmas pipe and the guy didn't know it. (I know, probably not). Did Dunhill make a particular Christmas pipe for that year and NEVER, EVER make another pipe in that exact same style? I wonder what stampings the 1984 Christmas pipes are stamped with?...

Thanks for the info.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by Hendu3270

See this is what is confusing me. I read something similar to this online and it speaks mainly of "2 digit" numbers. The one I am receiving is probably not too old. It is the same design as the Dunhill 1984 Christmas pipe. This pipe is stamped under the stem "DUNHILL CUMBERLAND" and then under the bowl it has "121 6106". When I look at new Dunhill pipes at various sites they seem to have a similar number I guess being the model number, (5106, 2106, etc.). So I'm assuming the 6106 is the model number, but I don't know what the "121" stands for. In the back of my mind I'm wondering if this pipe might actually be a Christmas pipe and the guy didn't know it. (I know, probably not). Did Dunhill make a particular Christmas pipe for that year and NEVER, EVER make another pipe in that exact same style? I wonder what stampings the 1984 Christmas pipes are stamped with?...

Thanks for the info.

I would guess that your pipe is Shape # 6106 and was made in 2001. Just a guess, based on what I posted. Starting with the year 2000, they may have started using 3 digit numbers in place of the 2 digit numbers in the previous century. Makes sense, but I'm speculating. Shoot a PM to Bear Graves or contact him via smokingpipes.com. He'd know for sure.

[Hendu3270]

That makes sense to me. Thanks for the help dm. I'll pm bear.

[Hendu3270]

Pm'd graves but haven't heard back yet.

Pipe arrived today. Interesting thing is that after the "Made in England" is an underscored "24" just like on yours. I just couldn't see it in the photos.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by Hendu3270

Pm'd graves but haven't heard back yet.

Pipe arrived today. Interesting thing is that after the "Made in England" is an underscored "24" just like on yours. I just couldn't see it in the photos.

Congrats! You should have a perfect pipe - no surface flaws, drilling aberrations or anomalies of any kind. Dunhill is VERY anal about that. If their pipes exhibit any flaws of any kind, they become Parkers or Hardcastles, or they are discarded. Your Dunhill should be a completely perfect smoking instrument.

[Hendu3270]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

Congrats! You should have a perfect pipe - no surface flaws, drilling aberrations or anomalies of any kind. Dunhill is VERY anal about that. If their pipes exhibit any flaws of any kind, they become Parkers or Hardcastles, or they are discarded. Your Dunhill should be a completely perfect smoking instrument.

Thanks! Haven't had a chance to smoke it yet, but it is definitely drilled perfect that's for sure.

[Hendu3270]

Well, once I got this pipe home and started looking at it a little closer and handling it I noticed the stem has a "sticky" feel to it. Not smooth like my other pipes. It was also very dull, almost like a matte finish. I figured maybe the previous owner put something on it to hide some oxidation so I wetted my thumb and wiped across the underside of the stem and it immediately, and I mean instantly, turned yellow. So now I have an oxidized stem. I'm gonna try sanding it down lightly this weekend. I have 800 grit, 1000 grit and 2000 grit wet/dry paper that I will use. Hopefully It won't hurt the white "spot". I'm assuming all my other pipes are a different material? as this is the only pipe that turns yellow the moment I touch water to it.

[drastic_quench]

Might want to try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser before you go for sandpaper. A little dab of Vaseline will protect the white dot if you want to give the stem a soak in bleach.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by Hendu3270

Well, once I got this pipe home and started looking at it a little closer and handling it I noticed the stem has a "sticky" feel to it. Not smooth like my other pipes. It was also very dull, almost like a matte finish. I figured maybe the previous owner put something on it to hide some oxidation so I wetted my thumb and wiped across the underside of the stem and it immediately, and I mean instantly, turned yellow. So now I have an oxidized stem. I'm gonna try sanding it down lightly this weekend. I have 800 grit, 1000 grit and 2000 grit wet/dry paper that I will use. Hopefully It won't hurt the white "spot". I'm assuming all my other pipes are a different material? as this is the only pipe that turns yellow the moment I touch water to it.

I'd like to correct my earlier statement: You now have a perfect pipe unless someone that doesn't work at Dunhill fudged it up!

DON'T SANDPAPER THE WHITE DOT!!!!! In fact, protect it with vaseline or something so you don't accidentally mar or erase it. I'd go with Quench's suggestion and try the Magic Eraser followed by olive oil (for shining back up after the eraser dulls the finish) or bleach, but do cover the spot. Good luck! Post a pic?

[Hendu3270]

Hmmmm, maybe I'll try the magic eraser first instead of the sand paper. I already have a couple that I picked up to use on an old Dr. Grabow. I didn't notice much difference when using it though. Are you suppossed to use it on the stem with water or are you guys using it while dry like a "buffer"?