This Freehand finds a place in the English workshop's Quaint series, which is reserved for renditions that don't quite ascribe to The White Spot's systematized shape chart. It presents the cinched waistline and trumpeting rim of the Hourglass shape, with a defined base and concave flanks for a playful profile. It's paired to an oval shank and lightly downturned stem, accentuating the bowl's height and balancing its forward cant.

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.