Denmark A pipe made by Bjarne Nielsen (1941–2008), an outstanding Danish master and professional diplomat. Many pipe makers came from various backgrounds — engineers, telecommunication technicians, blacksmiths, and so on. However, it was highly unexpected for a diplomat working at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enter this field. During the 1960s and ’70s,…
Denmark, 1970-80s The Danish pipe space – if not infinite – is at least impossible to measure with available tools. We keep discovering new names and new makers, and yet it seems we will never get anywhere close to omniscience. The pipes of Bjørn Thurmann are another remarkable element of this universe and a vivid…
Denmark, 1970s Every work by Preben Holm — the brilliant Danish artisan and founder of the freehand pipe art — reveals a profound sensitivity to briar, along with a masterful use of its grain and structure to craft truly unique pieces. Today’s example also showcases his remarkable engineering intuition. Creating an object of such complex…
Denmark, 1970s Authoritative sources attribute the authorship of IIS pipes to Karl Erik, a talented Danish craftsman, or to the renowned Preben Holm. In our opinion, this piece was most definitely crafted in the workshop of Karl Erik Ottendahl—the specific type of briar and the meticulous shaping that highlights the grain are clear indicators of…
Denmark, 1970s A truly high-grade pipe from Denmark’s most famous pipe shop, made in the 1970s. During these golden times, the basement of the W.Ø. Larsen store in Copenhagen housed many talented craftsmen who personally carved such valuable pipes as Select and Straight Grain. Therefore, we can be sure that this gem was created by…
Denmark, 1960s An old and well-preserved Stanwell pipe that we can date fairly accurately. The registration number 969-48 was obtained by the company in 1948, and Stanwell pipes were marked with it until the early 1970s. At the same time, the crowned S on the mouthpiece appeared around 1960, so the pipe can be safely…
Denmark, 1980s At first sight, the pipe appears to be a part of the illustrious “Danish Golden era” freehands, standing proudly alongside the likes of Preben Holm, Karl Erik, and Holtorp creations. And indeed, this initial impression seems warranted, as the nomenclature reads “SUNALP \ HANDCUT DENMARK.” However, our investigations led us to an interesting…
Denmark, 1970s Champ of Denmark was a brand of the currently closed Larsen & Stigart tobacconist in Copenhagen, Denmark (along with “Larsen & Stigart”, “Shelburne”). As many advanced tobacco shops at that time had also an indoor production and employed such famous carvers as Søren Eric Andersen and Karl Erik Ottendahl who was the author…
Denmark, 1970s Jobey is the brand with perhaps the most tangled history. Since establishing in the 1920s the company has changed a whole row of owners, distributors and manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic. Frequently experts can’t reach an agreement regarding a specific Jobey pipe, its origin and dating. But the Jobey Dansk series…
Denmark, 1970s A pipe from the greatest Danish tobacconist made in the 1970s. There were many legendary pipe carvers working for W.Ø. LARSEN and it’s usually difficult to say who exactly made a specific pipe. But such the elongated, specifically bent stem hints that our today’s pipe was made by (or at least inspired by)…