Stanwell (c.1980s) Buffalo 11 Sandblasted Pot Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates, 9mm

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 Buffalo was one of a number of lines created by Stanwell toward the end of the 20th century, each being distinguished by a shank extension cut from various materials. The Zebrano, for example, featured zebrawood; the Brazilia was transformed from a horn-mounted line to a horn-extended one; and the Buffalo featured a striking, swirlig, amber-toned acrylic shank extension, which paired especially well with the dark, ring grain relief its sandblasted variants tended to exhibit. This one is rendered in one of Stanwell’s most enduring shapes, the “11” pot, which Sixten Ivarsson designed for the make in the 1970s. Of all of Ivarsson’s designs for Stanwell, it’s one of the few that’s managed to survive into the contemporary, and for good reason. It’s distinctive without being over the top; a good middle ground between the old and the new, as was Ivarsson’s forte. This particular example looks to have been made in the 1980s, based on the nomenclature and its thin, white “S” stem logo.

The condition is good. Some rim darkening and minor finish fading. This pipe is chambered to accommodate 9mm filters if desired.

Details:

Length: 6.4″ / 162.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.17″ / 29.71mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g