Stanwell (c.2000-2009) Legend 246 Smooth Bent Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 9mm

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 “Legend” was one of Stanwell’s high-end lines around the 2000s. It was distinguished by excellent grain, a light, reddish-brown smooth finish and iconic shapes from Stanwell’s history, owing to the make’s collaboration with the many legendary Scandinavian artisans of the post-war era. This is the first Legend I’ve seen with a more traditional bent, though as it is a relatively recent shape (the “246,” that is, as there have been plenty of other bent billiards in Stanwell’s catalogs over the decades), I do wonder whether it was perhaps also artisan-designed, with the artisan in question yet to be discovered (Stanwell knowledge did begin to lag a little around the turn of the millennium, after all). In any case, this one is definitely a superb bent billiard rendition, with fine, “angel hair” straight grain deserving of the line’s lofty title. Last but by no means least, this one’s nomenclature also indicates a pre-2009 make, which means it was made at Stanwell’s Borup factory in Denmark. That’s always a bonus in my books.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. It is chambered to accommodate 9mm filters if desired.

Details:

Length: 6.1″ / 154.9mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.65″ / 41.91mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g