Royal Danish by Stanwell 989 Partially Sandblasted Pear 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. Royal Danish was a Stanwell sub-brand during the 20th century.

Much like early main-brand Stanwell pipes, Stanwell’s Royal Danish sub-brand used three-digit shape codes, with the second two digits referring to the shape itself (on main-brand Stanwells, the first digit referred to the finish or line the pipe belonged to, whereas for sub-brand pipes this digit referred to the sub-brand itself). Thus this Royal Danish by Stanwell is the latter’s shape 89, which was one of several quite interesting shapes designed by the great Sixten Ivarsson. The reason these shapes are interesting, at least in my view, is twofold. First, Sixten Ivarsson designed a significant number pear shapes for Stanwell. In the 1970 catalog alone, for example, there were four pear renditions: the 36, the 71, the 75, and the 89. Two separate Pipe of the Year models were also pears: the 1983 and the 1993. And, even after Ivarsson had passed, Stanwell revamped the 71 (now the 71L) as part of its Favorite line, which was essentially a reissue of three popular collector’s shapes that had long been discontinued. The second reason the 89, along with the other pears, is interesting is because it is so traditional. It’s a loving homage to the pears of 20th century Anglo-French (especially French) factory pipes, with a slight Scandinavian neo-classical touch. It’s not especially “Danish” as we’ve come to understand the term, but it’s exactly what Sixten Ivarsson and his early contemporaries liked.

As for when this one was made, I’d say at least several decades ago. The 89 hasn’t been in production for a long time.

The condition is fair. Some inner rim darkening and stem slightly over-buffed.

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.63″ / 41.40mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g