By Al Jones

In 2010, I started smoking a pipe and by 2011, I knew my passion was with the classic British shapes and makers. I started a “Holy Grail” list of pipe makes and shapes I wanted to own. Around 2018, I completed the list, with one exception. In 2014 a pipe reseller listed a Dunhill 747, a saddle stemmed Rhodesian. Similar in shape to the GBD 9438, one of my all time favorite Rhodesians. It was way out of my price range comfort zone and it was quickly sold. I added the shape to my Holy Grail list. Jesse Silver, on the PipesMagazine forum always wisely advises folks who missed a bid on an exorbitantly priced pipe – and said another one will come along. I waited patiently, but by 2020, I still had not seen another example and I just removed it from my otherwise completed list. Then, last week, another one showed up on eBay, this one a Root Briar with what appeared to be a 1964 date stamp. The new to eBay sellers pictures were not great. A picture with the shape number was not shown at all. I requested additional pictures and the seller quickly complied and satisfied my answers. I waited until the final seconds to bid, with a bid only slightly over the starting bid. I was surprised to find I was the lone bidder.

The pipe was delivered quickly and it was in very good condition. There were some minor teeth indentions and one nip out of the beautifully shaped Dunhill button. The bowl was in great shape with only some mild cake residue. The nomenclature was strong. The stem was slightly loose, but I knew smoking it would fix that issue. Dunhill Root Briar grain is never spectacular, but I feel this one was better than average for that grade. Below is the pipe as it was received, which included a nifty shaped and zippered velour pouch. The pipe is only slightly larger than the GBD 9438 and at 61 grams, weighs a few grams more.

The cake was so mild, I only used a piece of 320 paper to remove the minor residue. I cleaned the shank with a bristle brush dipped in alcohol, but didn’t feel the need to soak this one with my normal practice of alcohol and sea salt.

A flame from a lighter nicely lifted the teeth indentions. I used wet sandpaper to remove the light oxidation, moving from 800 to 2000 and then 12,000 grade micromesh. The stem was then buffed with White Diamond and Meguiars Plastic Polish.

I polished bowl carefully with White Diamond rouge and then several coats of Carnuba wax.

Below is the finished pipe, that I’m smoking while writing this blog entry. The stem did tighten nicely to its original fitment.