Stanwell (c.1980s) Vario 193 Sandblasted Apple 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.

Stanwell’s Vario line took a mixed-finish approach more typical to freehand pipes— specifically, the Danish Fancy freehands of Erik Nording, Preben Holm, and others—and instead applied it to its own shapes, both the more traditional designs, and the more “Danish” ones. Here we have an example of the latter, a “193” short plump apple rendition, through which the pipe’s two finishes beautifully capture both ring grain and straight grain patterns, accentuating this contrast further via a two-tone top-coat. Judging by the stem logo, I’d estimate the pipe to be an early 1980s make, from a time just after the discontinuation of the trademark registration number stamp (which defined the “reg era” in Stanwell historiography), but before the switch to a larger, metal “S” logo. On this one it’s a little harder to judge, however, as the “193” is absent from the catalogs I’ve seen over the years, and is quite a rare shape to come across.

The condition is very good. Some rim darkening.

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.84 / 21.33mm

Bowl Depth: 1.54″ / 39.11mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g