Stanwell (1990s-2009) Golden Danish 186 Sandblasted Brandy Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

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.

The Golden Danish was one of Stanwell’s flagship, sandblasted lines from around the 1980s onward. I have wondered if it might have been at all related to the Golden Contrast line, introduced around the same time, as the Golden Danish—seen here—had a brown sugar contrast finish that was not entirely unlike the former, but sandblasted, rather than smooth. In any case, the Golden Danish outlived the Golden Contrast, and remained part of Stanwell’s lineup until quite recently (it may even still be in production, but, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s difficult to know what Stanwell is doing anymore). This one comes from around 1995-2009, back when Stanwell pipes were made in the famous Borup factory, in Denmark, and is rendered in one of Stanwell’s modern classics as far as shapes go, the bulbous “186” Danish brandy (or egg, depending on who you ask). Designed by Anne Julie around the late 1980s-1990s, it’s a shape that stuck around for a fair few years, and I think it might have been included in the first run of the Poul Stanwell collection, if I recall correctly. It also looks to have since been discontinued, as has been the fate of so many a good Stanwell shape.

This pipe is unsmoked, with an original bowl coating.

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.81″ / 45.97mm

Weight: 2.0oz / 58g