danish

Former #372192PN

5.25" long, bowl 1.75" high. Weight: 1 5/8oz., 46 grams.
New. Price: $550

TAO Straight Grain Dublin #9679

Here's a man, and a pipe, with very distinct style. There is no
mistaking his pipes for any other, and I don't believe anyone
has had the temerity to copy his style. I haven't seen him at
any shows lately, and so I don't know if he's still producing
pipes. As you can see in the photo above, there is fine straight
grain on both sides of the bowl and Bird's Eye coming up from
the bottom to the front of the bowl and on that wide rim. The
stem treatment is classic TAO, and very handsome.

6" long, bowl 1 5/8" high: Weight; 2.38 oz., 67.5 grams. New.
Price. $750

Balleby Curved Dublin, grade 5. #PBA47

This has straight grain all around the bowl, and perhaps the
only thing keeping it from being graded higher is the presence
of some very small sand pits in the wood. I can see them (or
imagine I can) because I am at this moment wearing one of
those jeweler headbands with magnifying glasses that could
give me a headache if I don’t watch out. Again, this pipe
consists of all the factors that go into making a great Balleby.

Stats: 5” long, bowl 1 7/8” high: Weight; 1.58 oz. 44.9 grams.
New. $640

Pulvers' Prior Briar
P.O. Box 61146
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Phone/Fax:
(650) 965-7403
Email:
mpulvers@aol.com

Pipe
Categories:

Teddy Eagle Calabash-Amity #9700

This is a stunning pipe, even more dramatic in person than in
the photos above. That long, tight straight grain runs all
around the bowl. I'm calling it partly a Calabash because of the
cap, obviously, but it is not a cup and can not be removed.
Please, do not drink a 1/2 bottle of Scotch and then decide to
look into the tobacco chamber by removing the top. When you
look at how the line transitions from shank to bowl, Teddy's
reputation becomes obvious. It's a silly question, and there is
nothing close to an answer, but who is the top pipe maker in
the world today? Lars Ivarsson? Teddy Knudsen? In which
order? Fun to think about, anyway.

6 3/8" long, bowl 2 1/2" high: Weight; 2.33 oz., 66.1 grams. New
Price. $2350

Larsen Pearl Volcano #9695

Obviously, this pipe would stand tall and proud on its own, as a
venerated Larsen Peral and because of it's intrinsic beauty and
grain quality. But, I'm almost 100% positive there is one other
factor to recommend it...it was made by Teddy. Who else could
have been responsible for this pipe? Call it a guess, but it's a
very educated guess.

6 1/2" long, bowl 2 1/2" high: Weight; 3.1 oz., 88.1 grams. New.
Price. $1675

Tao Billiard #6220014

A great example of how the Tao pipe is unique. It does have a
little ding on the bowl, which I should be able to steam out. New.

5" long, bowl 1 7/8" high. Weight: 2.25 oz. 63.8 grams. $495

Balleby Bulldog #6220010

There are some features about this pipe that make it a bit
different than the average Bulldog. You can look at the photo
and get the same sense, but I can be a bit more specific for
you.For one, the shank is oval, rather than diamond shaped,
the stem is pinched, right below the saddle, and there is also a
fish-tail aspect to the stem. All of these variations combine to
create a slightly different animal. On a personal level (as if you
should care) I like the absence of a bowl coating. Let others
inveigh against politicians or polluted water; I'll climb the soap
box to declaim coated bowls. It's extra work and expense for
the pipe maker (and thus, ultimately, us) and it taints the taste.
Frankly, the only reason pipe makers coat bowls, as far as I
can discern, is that they're chicken. They're afraid that you,
the pipe smoker, don't know how to break in and smoke a pipe.
Bullcrap. It's the rare smoker that spends multi-hundreds on a
pipe that doesn't know what they're doing. I wish more pipe
smokers would do the right thing and leave good wood alone.

5 1/2" long, bowl 1 3/4" high. Weight: 1.89 oz. 53.8 grams. New
Price: $395

Bjarne Nielsen Panel Grade D #980711

I'm a sucker for panels, but they are very difficult to make well
and there are relatively few of them on the market at any one
time. I saw Phil Vigen, one of Bjarne's top pipe makers, make a
panel once, and I was dumbfounded at his manual dexterity
and who quickly and accurately he had to work the briar on the
disc sander so as to get each side perfectly symmetrical, both
on the flat surface and for the thickness of each wall. Maybe
that's why there are so few panels, and take note at how few
panels you see from the new pipe makers and their fancy,
freehand shapes. I don't think most of them can make this
shape without killing lots of briar blocks. I love the Prince
shape, and years ago I saw 2 Dunhill shell Panel Princes for
sale, and because of their expense, I didn't buy them. I think of
those pipes to this day. For me, they are the pipes that got
away. This one is a signature piece, with a Brindle stem. It has
lots of straight grain, and, of course, it sits up. New. Price:$395

6.25" long, bowl 1 7/8" high. Weight: 1.75 oz., 52 grams.

Bjarne Nielsen Panel Grade C #98717

Another beautiful Panel from the Bjarne Nielsen signature
collection, which means it has a hand cut stem, in this case
from Brindle colored vulcanite, and was made by one of the
carvers that make Bjarne's top end pipes. One negative
aspect of this pipe is that it doesn't sit on the flat bottom, but
rather needs to lean back onto the stem to remain upright. Not
a big issue, but it's my contention that a flat bowl bottom should
designate a pipe that sits up on that bottom. New. Price:$445

5.5" long, bowl 2 1/8" high. Weight: 1.75 oz., 52 grams.

Former Dublin #98701

The grain pattern on this pipe is ok...nothing spectacular. If
that is how you judge a pipe, this is not for you. This pipe is
also not for dilettantes. It is not glitzy or eye catching, except to
the cognescenti, the true connoisseur. I bought this pipe for
two reasons: one is that it's such a flat-out gorgeous, delicate
but solid example of a Dublin...perhaps the Platonic Dublin; two,
Former has a devoted following that understands what a great,
quiet but appreciated pipe maker he is, so I was confident that
this pipe would sell, because let's face it, at over $800, there
aren't a lot of people interested in a Dublin. Fortunately, the
Former devotees know exactly what I'm talking about when I
extol his skills. I don't have to worry about the hard work of
convincing others. Should no one be interested, my escape
strategy is, as you might have already guessed, keeping and
smoking this pipe myself. That's not why I'm in business, but it
wouldn't be a hardship, at all. New. Price: $865

5 9/16" long, bowl 1 7/8" high. Weight: 1 oz., 30 grams.

Lasse Skovgaard Sandblast with Plateau Rim #12151345

Somewhat like the old freehand shapes, but with a refined
touch that few of the 1970s pieces had. Actually, this pipe is
fairly small, with a lot of wall thickness and a small bowl. Not
only is the ring grain superb, the construction, including the
draw and the comfort of the stem are equally good. A lot of fine
production value in such a reasonably priced pipe. New. $225
5.07" long, bowl 1.95" high. Weight: 1 3/8 oz., 39 grams.

Lasse Skovgaard Bamboo Sandblast #12151346

Most bamboo shanks are afterthoughts, which is to say, the
pipe maker finds his shank is truncated, so he adds bamboo,
more as a shank extension than anything else. This piece is
too well proportioned for that to have been the approach. New.
$295. 6" long, bowl 1.75" high. Weight: 1.25 oz., 37 grams.

Lasse Skovgaard #12151348

Medium-small, well constructed with an open draw and nice, flat
very comfortable stem. Hard (impossible?) to beat for the
money. New. Price: $225
5.5" long, bowl 1.5" high: Weight: 1.5 oz., 44 grams.

Bjarne Hexagonal Panel #12151405

the Panel is one of the great classic shapes; they never fail to
attract my wandering eye. With Bjarne, you get handmade
pipes like this at machine cut prices. New. $88.50
5.2" long, bowl 2.06" high. Weight 2 oz., 57 grams.

Bjarne Golden Contrast Billiard #12151406

This is more of a cross between a Billiard and a Brandy. It
could have been called a B&B. It's a medium sized pipe with a
large capacity bowl. Knowing how difficult it is to sell a pipe, it
occurs to me that buying simple, common shapes like a Billiard
probably doesn't make great business sense. People seem to
always want something new and dramatic. Yet, a pipe man can
not help himself from buying and offering a good Billiard,
because they almost assuredly are the most consistently good
smokers, all other factors being the same, which, of course,
they never are. As I wrote those words I realized that I am, at
this moment, smoking a Billiard. New. Price: $88.50
6.17" long, bowl 2" high. Weight: 1 1/2 oz., 44 grams

Bjarne Golden Contrast #12151409 (SOLD 8/18/08)

I'm tempted to call this a Prince, although the proportions are
off for that shape, nor is it pretending to be one. It's just that I
don't know what else to call it. Really, it's nothing more than
just another example of Bjarne delivering a very good price at a
price lower than anyone else could. New. Price: $88.50
5.7" long, bowl 1.7" high. Weight: 1 7/8 oz., 52 grams.

Tao #12151364

I've been able to open up the draw on this interesting shaped
pipe. If not perfect, the draw is now quite respectable. What
you can not see is that the stem is brindle, as is the extension
past the amber, making for a handsome color combo. New.
5.8" long, bowl 1.68" high. Weight: 3 oz., 84 grams. Price: $425

Bjarne Virgin Churchwarden #12151449

Well of course, Bjarne has done it again. A large bowled
Churchwarden, with good flame grain (the other side of the
bowl has the much nicer grain, so there's no need to show it)
and an open draw, which one needs on such a long shank. The
good curve makes it comfortable to hold and smoke.
10.25" long, bowl 2.4" high. Weight: 1.75 oz., 52 grams.
New. Price: $95

Tonni Nielsen #12151512

When you're dealing with a pipe made by Tonni Nielsen you
have to pay extra attention in order to determine whether the
particular pipe you're looking at is an example of his genius or
indifference. So, what about this pipe? I'm not sure. At first, I
leaned a bit toward his indifference, although it's certainly not a
bad pipe (the value of genius is that even by accident,
something wonderful can result) but somehow it looked a bit
'off.' On further scrutiny, I'm now leaning toward this pipe being
an example of his genius. Why? I can point to components,
like the Calabash bowl with an oval shank and a very well made
hand cut vulcanite stem that actually goes a long way toward
making a pipe this large something you would hold in your
mouth. I tell you folks, there needs to be a first rate arts and
crafts museum, preferably in Denmark, that showcases the very
best of the Danish inspired pipe makers. New. Price: $450
6.1" long, bowl 2.39" high. Weight: 2 oz., 56 grams

Tonni Nielsen #12151514

I've never asked Tonni, but I have a feeling that his favorite
kind of music is jazz. I see this pipe as a kind of riff on pipe
making, and just like a lot of jazz, it's not meant to be all that
serious, but when everything that has gone into it is weighed,
why, it can't be dismissed as simply frivolous. Take that edge
of plateau in the bottom of the top photo. It starts off fairly
large towards the top of the bowl and comes down (you can't
see it) to a mere whiff of plateau. In looking at maybe tens of
thousands of pipes in over 45 yrs., I don't believe I've seen that
done even once...at least not on purpose the way I know Tonni
did. I'd even call it 'organic' if that phrase meant anything. At
this point, calling something an organic shape should do
nothing but elicit cynical laughter. If you want an organic shape
in a pipe, take the briar burl and drill two holes in it...one as the
bowl and the other in which to insert the stem. Pretty, huh?
6" long, bowl 2" high. Weight:2.25oz., 64 grams. New. $450

Tonni Nielsen #12151520

You see the Bird's Eye here, but not the cross grain. Of course
it is there. The bigger question is, why do I use capital letters
for the Bird's Eye and lower case for the cross grain? The
stem touch here is what's most noteworthy. It's another
example of Tonni's creativeness. Yes, and I might have hit on
something here (more likely it's simple coincidence and once
again I'm nothing but blather). This pipe is stamped
"Handcrafted in Kentucky" whereas the two Tonni pipes shown
above this, if they haven't sold, are stamped as having been
made in Denmark...or at least they're called Danish. Does
Tonni get a lot of his creative inspiration when he is summering
in Denmark, his boyhood home, and palling around with his
good friend, Teddy Knudsen? It would certainly make sense.
5.8" long, bowl 2.25" high. Weight: 2.5 oz., 70 grams. New. $425

Tonni Nielsen #12151506

What that Nielsen kid has achieved here is a fairly large bowled
pipe, and that is not light, but has such a shape that it hangs
down close to the chin and thus can be easily and comfortably
held in the mouth. As you can see, the grain ain't bad either.
For what it's worth, it was Handcrafted in Kentucky. New. $625
5.1" long, bowl 2.15" high. Weight: 2 3/8 oz., 66 grams.

Kai Nielsen #12151524

Good cross grain with an open draw and a non-coated bowl
interior. The light grain would reveal any surface flaws, were
there any, so despite the relatively low price, this is a high
grade Danish pipe. New. Price: $245
5" long, bowl 1.8" high. Weight: 1.5 oz., 44 grams.

Kai Nielsen #12151510

As pretty as this pipe is, it must be mentioned that it may be a
bit small for many of you, although I am finding that small pipes
are quite popular, no doubt because of the limited amount of
time available for smoking. It's certainly not tiny and the sort of
Cognac shaped bowl should provide good tobacco capacity.
The stem is a brindle. One little negative a spect is the visibility
of two sand pits facing the smoker, and thus not visible in the
photos which just show the sides of the bowl. These are not
fills and just look like a dark spot unless a magnifying glass is
taken to them, but you should be informed, and now you are.
4.9" long, bowl 1.78" high. Weight: 1 5/8 oz., 46 grams. $310

Kai Nielsen #12151508

A graceful pipe from Kai, and as soon as I open up the air hole
in the tenon a bit more, it should draw well and smoke like the
high grade pipe that it is. This, too, has the brindle stem.
5.9" long, bowl 2" high. Weight: 1 5/8 oz., 47 grams.
New. Price: $275

Bjarne Churchwarden #12151447

A nice sculpted look to this Churchwarden. It's large for a
Churchwarden, but not too large, and it has a nice, open draw.
10.35" long, bowl 2.33" high. Weight: 1 7/8 oz., 53 grams.
New. Price: $85

Larsen Straight Grain 5 #1261919SW

Other than a little ding on the top of the rim, this pipe is in
excellent condition. That rim, by the way, is full of beautiful
Bird's Eye and the straight grain is full all around the bowl. It's
a solid 5. Used. Price: $150
5.6" long, bowl 2" high. Weight: 1.5 oz., 44 grams.

Larsen 10 #372276

6" long, bowl 2" high. Weight: 2 oz., 55 grams. New. Price. $850

S. Bang Grade 5 #372201PN

5.5" long, bowl 1.75" high. Weight: 1 1/4 oz., 36 grams.
Used. $450

Kaj Rasmussen/Svendborg #372203PN

Somebody write in and tell me who Kaj Rasmussen is. This
pipe smacks of the early days of Danish Freehands, when the
individual carvers there were beginning to develop their own
styles. This pipe has a soft, round flavor, especially at the rim
of the tobacco chamber. The grain pattern is of a good Bird's
Eye. The ferrule is bone and the stem is a high grade, hand
cut vulcanite. It's in excellent condition. LATE NEWS: Danish
Pipe maker (and historian?) Soren Eric Anderson wrote in to
tell me that Kaj Rasmussen worked with Poul Ilsted at the
Svendborg factory in the late '70's. Apparently he stopped a
few years later. (Rex Poggenpohl, take note.) Thank you for
the information, Soren Eric.
Used. Price: $250
5.15" long, bowl 2.1" high. Weight: 2 oz., 56 grams.

Emil Chonowitsch 3372174PN

In one of my first exposures to the high grade Danish makers,
Emil Chonowitsch was pointed out, with the caveat by my host
that his son (this was about 1985) was going to become the
more important pipe maker. That has turned out to be the
truth, but it doesn't diminish the worth of Papa Emil. this is not
a particularly beautifully grained pipe, but its appeal is in the
shape and feel. It is also in excellent condition, as are all the
pipes from the "PN" collection. Used. Price: $650
5 5/8" long, bowl 1.6" high. Weight: 1 5/8 oz., 45 grams.

Anne Julie Apple #372166PN

With its just slightly different proportions, this is another
marvelous example of Anne Julie at her creative best. When
all is said and done, and many, if not most, of us are dead and
cremated, Anne Julie will be recognized as the shape
trail-blazer she was. As one of the very first women pipe
makers (the first? I just don't know) she wasn't hampered by
convention. Plus, she is such a playful person she just had fun
messing with the wood and what could be done to it to enhance
its beauty. When I started selling used pipes, in front of the
Stanford Student Union, after my day's labor at the P.O. there
on campus, I quickly learned that while my customers were
almost exclusively men, the women who stopped by to look had
a much greater appreciation of the wood itself, including the
grain quality. And to this day, when a woman is interested in a
pipe, I expect them to be much more focused on the smooth
pipes, while man might well be more interested in a rusticated
piece. Women just don't seem to like the rusticated finishes,
with rare exceptions. Used. Price: $425
6" long, bowl 1.43" high. Weight: 1 1/8 oz., 31 grams.

W.O. Larsen Straight Grain 5 #372176PN (SOLD 11/14/08)

I'm not saying Teddy made this pipe, because I do not know,
but the bowl rim of partial plateau and partial smooth, and the
boxwood trim certainly is redolent of Teddy's style. The cut of
the bowl is also familiar. Draw a conclusion if you will. It has a
good draw and is in very good condition.The stem and balance
make it exceedingly comfortable. I might give this a trial run.
6.1" long, bowl 1.8" high. Weight: 1 3/8 oz., 39 grams. Used.
Price: $285

Nording #372178PN

Handsome cross grain, and excellent condition in that great
Lovat shape. Used. Price: $95
5.18" long, bowl 1.9" high. Weight: 1 3/8 oz., 40 grams.

Thurmann #372239SR

Excellent condition throughout. The last time I posted
Thurmann pipes on this site they moved so quickly that I
concluded that they were priced too low. Since these are not
my pipes, I'm in no great rush to sell them, so le't see how this
price range works. Yup, you guys are a constant challenge.
And don't think I don't appreciate it Used. Price: $85
6.4" long, bowl 2.5" high. Weight: 2.5 oz., 70 grams..

S. Bang by Per Hansen Regis. 9860. #372311

Some fine cross grain and Bird's Eye. I do believe that the
shank trim is ivory or old Mammoth's tooth. New. Price: $2150
5.6" long, bowl 1.75" high. Weight: 2 oz., 55 grams.

Larsen Pearl #272283

I 'd speculate that Teddy made this pipe for Larsen, but that
would be nothing more...just speculation. Doesn't really matter.
It's a large pipe, with my thumb fitting fully into the bowl. It's
uncoated; so much the better for smoking. Good Draw.
6.3" long, bowl 2.15" high. Weight: 3 1/8 oz., 88 grams.
New. Price: $1250

S. Bang Grade 8 #4242632

Although this pipe doesn't appear to be that large, I can easily
fit my thumb into the bowl. It has a capacious tobacco chamber.
Along with that, it has an open draw. Considering what almost
every Tom, Dick and Ingemar is charging for their pipes these
days, this turns out to be a bargain. New. Price: $850
5.6" long, bowl 1.8" high. Weight: 2 5/8 oz., 76 grams.

Stanwell DeLuxe #4242650 (SOLD 10/15/08)

If I didn't tell you, would you be able to distinguish between this
and a Sven Bang (outside of the fact that it has a better draw
than many S. Bangs)? Well there is one way you can tell the
difference...this is about 1/10 the price. New. Price: $75
5.7" long, bowl 2" high. Weight: 2 1/8 oz., 62 grams.

Larsen Straight Grain 6 #4242640 (SOLD 11/14/08)

I feel as though I should be able to identify who made this
traditionally shaped Larsen Straight Grain, but I can't quite put
my finger on it. There weren't many pipes that made this grade
without being freehands. Exc. Cond. Open draw. Used. $250
5.65" long, bowl 1.88" high. Weight: 1.5 oz., 44 grams.