Stanwell 2008 Limited Edition Beijing Olympics Smooth Bamboo Dublin 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.

At the end of 2000s, Stanwell’s future was uncertain. Ultimately, the Stanwell company closed its factory in Borup, Denmark, where Stanwell pipes had been made for the previous four decades, and moved production to Italy, instead. In the last few years of Stanwell’s Danish production, however, there were some especially interesting, unique pipes debuted by the company—many being limited edition pieces—to the point where, if Stanwell had shuttered for good in 2009, they would have been a fitting send-off. Thankfully, Stanwell pipes would continue to be made after all, but the point still stands. I mention that because this particular Stanwell is an example of one of the highly novel—and now rare—pipes made shortly before the Borup closure.

Some background: in 2008, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Beijing, China. To commemorate this event, Stanwell released a very limited edition pipe, with just 450 made in total. The designs for the pipes came from Stanwell’s shape catalog, but, quite fittingly, they were renditions of the make’s famous Bamboo pipes, as a way of connecting the release to China. If I remember correctly (forgive me, it has been a long time), the pipes were also finished in a rather unusual (for Stanwell) way, being dressed in a black lacquered finish, which was another nod to the artistic traditions of China. This one is numbered 24 out of the 450 made, and is one of Stanwell’s classic, lightweight Dublin shapes.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. The pipe comes with its original wooden presentation case and commemorative sleeve.

Details:

Length: 5.4″ / 137.16mm

Bowl Width: 0.72 / 18.28mm

Bowl Depth: 1.52″ / 38.60mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 26g