Danish Estates: Santana Sandblasted Bent Egg (by Stanwell) Tobacco Pipe

This bent Egg comes to us from Stanwell's Santana brand, and it showcases a poised, dynamic look with a wide transition and a striking shank. Said shank lifts and extends out quite a bit, flaring out toward the end and meeting a sleek saddle stem whose base continues the shank's flare, its bit taking on a demure downturn for a comfortable smoking posture. The shank's impressive angularity draws the eye, nicely balancing the visual weight while keeping the bowl clearly in focus. This bowl stands on a rounded heel and boasts a low-set waist, its walls taking on a rounded taper to the flat rim while offering plenty of room to showcase the stummel's dark, inky sandblast.

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.