Stanwell 2011 Pipe of the Year Smooth Egg 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.

Since 1979, Stanwell has, without fail, released an annual, limited edition Pipe of the Year (as well as a German market Jahrespfeife between the 1990s and 2000s). As with many Stanwell models, these pipes have, for the most part, been designed by Scandinavia’s most acclaimed pipe makers, including Sixten Ivarsson, the late Jess Chonowitsch, Lasse Skovgaard, Manduela Riger-Kusk, and Poul Winslow. There is one pipe maker in particular, however, who has designed more Stanwell Pipes of the Year than any other, that being Danish master Tom Eltang. For the 2011 Pipe of the Year, Eltang departed somewhat from his usual, slender, neo-functionalist leanings, creating for Stanwell a beautifully plump and very distinctive egg rendition. While the Danes are famous for their egg shapes, this one makes the interesting choice to raise the shank slightly away from the base of the bowl, allowing for an even more voluptuous figure. If I remember correctly. the 2011 Pipe of the Year was available in a dark smooth finish and a light smooth finish, the latter being priced at a premium. This one is an example of the latter, with its more natural finish offering up a bounty of flame grain patterns.

The condition is very good. Minor inner rim darkening and slight handling marks.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.74 / 18.79mm

Bowl Depth: 1.72″ / 43.68mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g