Kriswill Bernadotte XL Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

Description

Kriswill was a Danish pipe company, and one of the great 20th century Danish makes, alongside the likes of Bari, Bjarne, and Stanwell. It was founded by Karl Robert Kris, originally a solo pipe-maker, who expanded his enterprise in the 1950s, leading to the birth of Kriswill and its Kolding factory. Kriswill found considerable success as a leader in the postwar Danish scene, even collaborating on some of its designs with famous architects Sigvard Bernadotte and Acton Bjørn (resulting in the Bernadotte series). Kriswill was profoundly affected by the downturn in pipe sales across the globe in the 1970s, which ultimately led to its dissolution.

While various pipe companies have, at different points in time, enlisted the most recognizable pipe artisans of the era to design pipes for them, Kriswill was one of the first (if not the first) to solicit designs from notable individuals outside of the industry. Prince Sigvard Bernadotte was one of Scandinavia’s preeminent industrial designers and architects, and he was also a keen pipe smoker. Thanks to Kriswill’s partnership with the Swedish prince, we now know that he had a good eye for pipe design, too. Some of his designs were very “Scandinavian,” while others, like this one, were more traditional. Having reviewed catalogs from around the 1960s-70s, this extra large billiard looks to be a shape 48 from the Bernadotte series, and is quite impeccably made, with a simple, light brown stain showing off excellent briar underneath. These days, companies like Vauen, Chacom, and even Stanwell have forged ties with the wider world of art and design, though it seems that Kriswill was the one to set the bar in that regard.

The condition is very good. Some minor wear to the rim.

Details:

Length: 6.9″ / 175.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.93″ / 49.02mm

Weight: 2.1oz / 60g