One of the most famous battles in world history and the most important land battle in British history, the Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815 in present day Belgium. Napoléon Bonaparte's Armée du Nord were defeated by the Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian army led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. It was the decisive engagement of the Waterloo campaign and a fiercely fought one, Wellington later remarking the battle was "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life." Nearly 200,000 troops led by three of the most gifted commanders of their time fought one of the most intense, bitter battles in military history that had lasting impacts for generations of Europeans and the world at large. Though the battle itself lasted only nine hours, over 60,000 troops were killed in the conflict and signaled a major turning point in history. Napoléon's defeat at Waterloo marked the end of his reign as French emperor as well as the end of his Hundred Days return from exile. To commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo, Dunhill crafted a special limited edition series back in 2015. This pipe, serialized as number 81 out of 150, is a Group 4 Quaint shape, closely resembling the marque's "20" Cherrywood design. It pairs a stout, cylindrical bowl to a low-set transition and a gently bent stem, with the domed rim softening the profile somewhat. It's finished here in a crisp application of the Shell Briar sandblast, brilliantly accented with a sterling silver band that's engraved "Battle of Waterloo 1815 to 2015." In addition, this set features a tamper shaped to replicate a cannon from the time period and has quite a fascinating backstory. While the body of the cannon tamper was crafted from sterling silver, the Cascabel and Breech portions were made from pig iron that was recast from an original 12-pound French cannonball that was discovered in the ground of the Waterloo battlefield by a French metal detectorist in 1979. It's all encased in a leather presentation box that depicts the three commanders on the front and comes complete with a hardcover, full-color edition of Waterloo: The Decisive Victory. Specially fitted slots within the case accommodate room for the pipe, tamper, and the certificate of authenticity. From presentation to craftsmanship, this is truly stunning work from the legendary marque and a must-have for Dunhill collectors and history aficionados.
