Ph. Vigen for Bjarne Nielsen Smooth Dublin w/ Bamboo Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Bjarne Nielsen was one of the towering figures of Danish pipe-making until his passing in 2008. As the founder of Bjarne, Nielsen employed talented pipe-makers from Denmark to produce distinctly Danish pipes and sold them to a devoted international audience. Among those in his employ were figures such as Mogens Johansen (also known as Johs), Ph. Vigen, Ole Bandholm and Tonni Nielsen. Though Bjarne pipes are no longer manufactured, they are still in good demand by those who enjoy well-made pipes in the tradition of Danish design.

While the company was still operational, Bjarne pipes were divided into two main categories: the workshop’s standard output, stamped “BJARNE,” and the workshop’s higher-end output, stamped “Bjarne Nielsen.” All of them were Bjarne pipes; all of them were made under the direction of Bjarne Nielsen himself; and all of them were excellent Danish pipes. But Bjarne Nielsen pipes were a little more special. Somewhat like WO Larsen and its Straight Grain grades, Bjarne’s “Signature” grades were made in their entirety by individual artisans from among the highest echelons of Danish pipe making. These included Tonni Nielsen and Jes Phillip Vigen Gertsen, also known as Ph. Vigen. The latter’s Bjarne pipes have become especially sought after, in part because his own-name pipes are especially sought after. Vigen’s close relationship with Bjarne Nielsen and sudden decision to retire from making any pipes after the former’s passing has meant that there are relatively few Vigen pipes around, which is unfortunate given his sheer mastery of the craft.

As with WO Larsen Straight Grain pipes, estimating which of the great pipe makers made any given Bjarne Signature grade pipe can often only be deduced from the pipe’s design and technical minutiae but, unlike in the case of WO Larsen, there were a few Bjarne pipes stamped with their maker’s own name. While Ph. Vigen did not include his name on all pipes he made for Bjarne Nielsen, he (or Bjarne) did on this one. Whether Vigen made and stamped the pipe first before deciding to send it to Bjarne (Vigen disliked the business side of pipe making), or whether it was always intended to be a Bjarne is anyone’s guess.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.84 / 21.33mm

Bowl Depth: 1.66″ / 42.16mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g