WO Larsen (1960s) Super Sandblasted Egg Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

Description

WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish pipe-making, such as Sven and Teddy Knudsen, Hans ‘Former’ Nielsen, Jess Chonowitsch, Poul Ilsted, and Benni Jorgensen.

During the workshop’s early years, WO Larsen pipes had a couple of slightly different nomenclatures to what became standard for most of its lifetime. More specifically, during the 1960s, pipes were stamped “Larsen”, without the “WO” (which was added later) and “Copenhagen” (which was ultimately retired altogether) along with the more consistent references to grade, country, and handicraft. This one looks to be one of those early makes, produced back when Sven Knudsen was the workshop’s foreman. It’s a very Danish egg, though with what might be considered a very British (we’re talking patent era Dunhill here), deep and rugged sandblast. Funnily enough, I own the master block used by WO Larsen’s carvers as a guide when turning this design. It’s a great shape.

The condition is very good. Slight rim darkening, some handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 5″ / 127.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.69″ / 42.92mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 32g