Stanwell RM 88 Sandblasted Straight Brandy Estate Briar Pipe, Denmark

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.

As James discussed in his Stanwell pipes dating guide on the main MBSD hub, pipes such as this one were made for slow-smoking competitions. I asked James which slow-smoking competition this one was from, and he suggested that it may have been in the Danish cities of Randers or Roskilde. The pipe would, then, have been offered for competitors at the Randers mesterskab (Randers Championship), or something like that. The ’88’ further signifies that the competition was in 1988. I also asked James which shape this was, and he suggested that it was either the 141 or 169, both being ‘Tulip’ billiards designed by Jess Chonowitsch. He also noted that the model is identical to Stanwell’s brass band, which features two brass rings and a ring of cumberland as adornments. As this pipe is from the 1980s, it has an ebonite stem, and as it is only 36 grams, it should clench very comfortably.

The condition is very good. There is some rim darkening and a little residual oxidation on the stem, but the pipe has plenty of life in it yet, and remains as elegant as the day it was made.

 

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.73 / 18.54mm

Bowl Depth: 1.63″ / 41.40mm

Weight: 1.2oz / 36g