Stanwell Royal 98 Sandblast Straight Lovat Danish Estate Pipe Saddle Stem

STANWELL with the shape number 98, and IN DENMARK followed by ROYAL, stamped on the shank: this is a Stanwell Royal 98, a straight Lovat in a craggy sandblast, with the crowned S on its short vulcanite saddle stem.

The stem ends in a fishtail mouthpiece and there is no filter. In the close-ups ROYAL, IN DENMARK and 98 read clearly and STANWELL is softer; the word MADE is not visible in the photographs.

Stanwell began in 1942, when Poul Nielsen set up pipe production in Denmark, at first in beech. At that time, by the maker's own catalogue of about 1982, six Danish factories made beech pipes, and five of them closed after the war. The name Stanwell was registered as a trademark in 1948, under number 969-48.

New equipment in 1952 went together with exports to Europe and the USA. The factory moved to Borup in 1965 by the catalogue's date (1969 in other sources), and around 1982 the firm put its share of Danish pipe exports at about 35 percent, in about 40 countries. Pipes were made in Denmark until the end of 2009; Barontini in Italy has made them since 2010, limited editions excepted.

THE MARKS

- STANWELL / 98 stamped on the shank
- MADE IN DENMARK / ROYAL stamped on the shank (MADE not visible in the photographs)
- Crowned S on the stem

The shape-number list compiled by Bas Stevens and McNally gives 98 two ways: a pot with a saddle mouthpiece, and a Lovat. This pipe is the Lovat: an upright, round bowl on a long round shank, with a short saddle stem. The vulcanite saddle ends in a fishtail mouthpiece, which spreads the draw across the tongue.

Royal is a Stanwell series, and in Stanwell's range of the mid to late 20th century it was a popular middle grade. This pipe has a craggy sandblast over the whole bowl and shank: the blasting carves out the softer wood fibres and leaves the harder ring grain of the briar standing. Please see the photographs for the texture.

For dating, MADE IN DENMARK places the pipe in Stanwell's Danish production, before the end of 2009. No year is known for the Royal line, so no narrower date is given.

Condition: pre-smoked, in very good condition. Please see the photographs.

THE MEASUREMENTS

- Length: 136 mm (5.35 in)
- Bowl height: 44 mm (1.73 in)
- Bowl width: 33 mm (1.30 in)
- Chamber diameter: 20 mm (0.79 in)
- Chamber depth: 39 mm (1.54 in)
- Weight: 56 g (1.98 oz)

Ships from the Faridunhill archive. Worldwide shipping and professional sanitation on every estate pipe. SKU: 316