1926 Dunhill shape "10" (extremely rare) -- restore & restem

[LatakiaLover]

Interesting pipe & interesting project.

The specimen might be unique. It's apparently Dunhill's shape "X" (Roman numeral 10) that actually got stamped with a "10"... and the only place you're ever likely to see one of those is in the 1928 Dunhill catalog. Rare as hen's teeth.

The project was interesting because though the original stem was intact it was no longer rubber (so to speak). It had transformed into a 3-D block of oxidation for all practical purposes.. Perfect as a pattern, but unsalvageable because "getting down to black" would have shrunken it absurdly.

.

[seamonster]

Did the original stem get the ol' test-the-ivory-with-a-hot-safety-pin-test???

Great pipe and great new stem, George. Thanks for sharing that one.....
Now if it fell into a box stamped for Portland....you know..... accidentally, like.....I'm sure the owner would understand, right?

[LatakiaLover]

No hot pin (though the pics definitely look like it).

The original dot fell out and someone blobbed paint in the hole, which (unsurprisingly) in turn partially fell out.

[Ocelot55]

What an excellent little shape! Great work, as usual, on the stem, George!

[n80]

LL, do you ever worry that your stems are better than the ones that come on original Dunhills.....and are thus not perfect reproductions? I mean that in jest...sort of...but I still have to wonder if Dunhill ever made stems as good as yours.

[UnderShade]

I’ve heard he loses much sleep over it
Dunhills like that were factory made, where production needs took precedent over quality sometimes. George is a craftsman and perfectionist. Dunhill couldn’t afford to have an army LLs!

[LatakiaLover]

LL, do you ever worry that your stems are better than the ones that come on original Dunhills.....and are thus not perfect reproductions? I mean that in jest...sort of...but I still have to wonder if Dunhill ever made stems as good as yours.

Quasi-philosophical territory, there.

If pipes were worth enough that they were counterfeited / forged like paintings and other fine art, replicating mass-production-related characteristics known to the brand (for its time period) would be necessary to get away with the crime.

Since they aren't, though, what I shoot for is perfection of the intended form. Meaning what the designer had in mind, and what might have actually been produced if the shop workers had been allowed more time plus had today's sensibility regarding what is possible. (Until the Danes came along so-called "handmade" pipes were universally inferior to factory ones. Regarded as "craft" objects.)

Most collectors think the same way and like that approach. The ones that contact me seem to, anyway.

Plus, making cool shit in a shop in your living room is fun, so why not? (Sportsball is boring af, today's "music" is absolute shite, and I'm too old to race bicycles or box anymore.)

[n80]

Since they aren't, though, what I shoot for is perfection of the intended form. Meaning what the designer had in mind, and what might have actually been produced if the shop workers had been allowed more time plus had today's sensibility regarding what is possible.

That is exactly what I'd want.

[JMG]

Which one is the replacement?