Stanwell 1996 Pipe of the Year Sandblasted Apple Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

Description

Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were created for the company by iconic pipe-makers in the Scandinavian scene, such as Sixten Ivarsson, Anne Julie, Jess Chonowitsch, and Tom Eltang.

Since 1979, Stanwell has released an annual, limited edition “Pipe of the Year,” with the majority being designed—as is common for Stanwell pipes in general—by some of Denmark’s greatest pipe makers. This particular Pipe of the Year, from 1996, was designed for Stanwell by their most prolific collaborator, Tom Eltang. As with many of Eltang’s Pipe of the Year designs, the pipe leans toward the functionalist camp, taking the form of a lightweight, yet slightly plump, apple, and a guaranteed well-made smoking machine. As I’ve mentioned before, most of the Pipes of the Year models in the 1980s and 1990s were sandblasted, and tend to be some of the finer examples of Stanwell’s finishing. And as with before, this one too is distinguished by its crisp ring grain sandblasting.

The condition is fair. Some rim charring and finish fading.

 

Details:

Length: 5.4″ / 137.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.46″ / 37.08mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 34g