Stanwell A/S Denmark
In August 2007 I had the chance to
visit Stanwell’s pipe factory in Borup, Denmark.
On the
way back from a visit to Poul Winsløw we stopped in Borup.
The
factory is located in a small industrial park, which surprisingly doesn’t look
like one.
Surrounded by a beautiful landscape
with lakes, you will not notice the factory until you are directly in front if
it.
Stanwell’s manager Jørgen Grundtvig
was already waiting for us when we arrived on the premises and gave us a hearty
welcome.
In 1942 Poul
Nielsen Stanwell began producing pipes in Kyringe, in the Danish Zealand.
Because World War II was raging, neither briar nor ebonite was available. Thus,
pipes were made from birch wood and equipped with mouthpieces made of rubber
surrogate.
At the end of the 1940s Poul Nielsen Stanwell’s Real Briar
pipes became popular. At that time the crowned “S” was made Stanwell’s
trademark, and is being used to this day.
Soon, the factory grew to about twenty employees.
Sixten Ivarsson is Stanwell’s most
important designer, having worked for them for 35 years.
As his
freehand designs were adapted for serial production a real revolution took
place, especially in the USA, where his pipes became a great success. Ivarsson
has created several famous shapes for Stanwell, some of which having sold over
one million copies.
In
1965 the company moved to Borup, near Copenhagen, and expanded to more than
forty employees.
Stanwell’s seconds are known under
the name of „Danske Club.“ Shortly before Poul Stanwell’s death in 1982 the
ownership of Stanwell was sold to a group in which Dunhill is a
shareholder.
Design
and marketing were not really changed though. Today, Stanwell is the biggest
Danish pipe factory, accounting for 35 percent of the Danish pipe export.
Many years ago Stanwell was taken
over by Larsen & Jensen, a partner they had been working with for years.
They cancelled the production of their other brands in favour of Stanwell.
The Classic Line is an integral
part of Stanwell’s product range. Over fifty traditional shapes, often sporting
typical Stanwell elements, constitute the comprehensive foundation for this
line.
Pipes
are available in sandblast, so-called Royal Matte, or with a smooth
finish.
Es war Sixten Ivarsson introduced
the famous Freehand-Series. Its pipes make you forget the copying machines that
have shaped them, and give you the impression of being completely handmade.
The
rough bark of the briar is often kept as an ornament on the bowl’s rim. This
feature is known as “fleuron” in France, and “roughtop” in England. It was this
paradox, freehand pipes produced by machines, which quickly made Stanwell famous
in the USA.
At
that time, only Charatan’s factory had machines to do the same. But their pipes
were much more expensive. The Freehand-Series eventually became the basis for
the now world-famous Danish pipe shapes.
Other
pipe makers have created designs for Stanwell, too, for example, Anne Julie,
Jess Chonowitsch, and Tom Eltang.
The machines are used as
efficiently as possible, not just for freehands but also for standard shapes.
This is why Stanwell is able to offer value for money in either classic or
Danish designs.
Unfortunately, as of 2000 the
diversity of shapes had to be reduced for economic reasons.
Jørgen Grundtvig, Managing
Director of Stanwell A/S Sadly, he will be retiring by end of 2007
Taking our lunch in the
conference room
In 2007
Dortmund saw the first public presentation of this pipe, made in 1942 by Poul
Stanwell using only birch wood, the Stanwell No. 1. It is available in standard
and filter version, made of either briar or birch wood, and comes with a
prestigious case. This Stanwell replica is a must-have for any pipe collector.
Copyright © 2007 by TECON
GmbH |