Danish Estates: Santana Sandblasted Opera (by Stanwell) Tobacco Pipe

This Opera is a unique pipe, one that comes from Stanwell's Santana line, and it maintains the iconic cues that define the shape, though with some striking alterations. The transition is wide, and the shank and stem are compressed at the flanks, with a subtle paneling here creating an understated musculature as the shank tapers to meet the stem at a matching black vulcanite shank extension. Up front, the bowl takes on a Dublin-esque silhouette, with a touch of flare toward the rim, though its flanks are extremely compressed in classic Opera fashion. Dressed in a crisp sandblast and a dark stain, this pipe showcases a timeless, serious palette and some handsome grain.

During World War 2, while Europe was embroiled in turmoil, briar scarcity and limited international shipping meant that Danish pipe smokers couldn't obtain pipes from England. To fill this void, Poul Nielsen began making pipes out of beechwood under the name Kyringe. After the war, Nielsen transitioned to making briar pipes and eventually changed his brand's name to Stanwell. Stanwell became an immensely popular marque that often collaborated with notable Danish artisans, like Sixten Ivarsson, Jess Chonowitsch, Anne Julie, and Tom Eltang.