Stanwell Reg Era (c.1950s-60s) Hand Made 05 Sandblasted Zulu (Estate)

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 “05” Zulu was one of the very first shapes designed for Stanwell by legendary artisan Sixten Ivarsson, and yet it’s among the rarest in the contemporary, likely due to its relatively short lifespan within Stanwell’s output. It can be found in the oldest surviving Stanwell catalogs, from the beginning of the 1950s, as part of the “Hand Cut” series, a selection of shapes that were slightly more modern than Stanwell’s older “Standard” shapes, which were firmly rooted in the Anglo-French tradition. On the other hand, the first Ivarsson designs to be licensed to Stanwell were rather classically inclined, especially looking back on them today, as these were the kinds of shapes that Ivarsson himself favored at the time (and, in many cases, continued to favor throughout his life). The “05” was no different in this regard, being essentially an ever so slightly tweaked Zulu rendition that, thanks to its creator, nonetheless managed to look fresh and effortlessly elegant. This one belonged to Stanwell’s old, high-end Hand Made line, which I’d imagine was necessary to properly capture Ivarsson’s very particular idea of what a perfect Zulu should be. As for dating, the shape does appear in surviving catalogs from the beginning of the 1950s until 1970, with subsequent catalogs featuring a new “05” in its place (an oval shank Rhodesian, funnily enough). Consequently, I’d estimate this to be a late 1950s-1960s make.

The condition is remarkably good. Chamber perhaps slightly over-reamed, and minor finish fading, but nonetheless well preserved for an older Stanwell.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.78 / 19.81mm

Bowl Depth: 1.83″ / 46.48mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g