The Churchwarden: You Know You Want One

Ah, the churchwarden, prince of pipes - no collection is complete without one. Churchwardens deliver a cool smoke in style, harkening back to a long gone era. They have a Dickensian, almost colonial, look to them. Deep down, I think every pipe smoker has considered purchasing a churchwarden.
But they seem a little odd, perhaps a little too flamboyant to take out of the house. Sure, they were all the rage with hussars, but that was some time ago. And a good one is pricey - not to mention that it isn't always practical to be smoking a pipe that long.
Stanwell, the great Danish pipe manufacturer, has solved the problem: they offer churchwardens with two stems, one long stem, and a short stem for portability. I bought a Stanwell "Hans Christian Anderson II" churchwarden pipe, some months ago, and have been very happy with it. The pipe itself is aesthetically pleasing, with it's long swoop, ending in a cavernous bowl. The bowl is deceptively large, accommodating the better part of two rolled flakes, of a typical Samuel Gawith variety. I haven't found a blend it doesn't like. Typically, my churchwarden is reserved for evenings, when the day is done and it's time to relax. There's nothing like filling the bowl with my favorite tobacco (Solani White & Black, 763), and settling down, long stem attached, with a good classic movie. Packed well, the Hans Christian Anderson II will last through an entire full length feature film. The short stem works just fine too, around the house or in the car.
The price is a little higher than I usually pay for a pipe (o.k., a lot higher), but I wouldn't call it exorbitant, considering its high overall quality. Recommendation: Highly recommended. It smokes as good as it looks.