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Brands

Bjarne Nielsen

(Signatures)

Tier:

Affordable	Mid-grade	Elevated	High-grade	Top
			X

Country: Denmark

Price: € 180+ (Signatures)

Production method:

Factory	Machine-assisted	Freehand
		X

Notes: Bjarne Nielsen is a businessman, not a carver. The bulk of the pipes produced for his firm are sold under the 'Bjarne' label (no surname) and are affordable semi-handmades. The information on this page does not cover these. Pieces stamped with his full name in script are also known as Signatures. These are freehands, often made by well-known Danish artisans.

Ph. Vigen and Johs are known to be among the top carvers who have worked for Bjarne Nielsen. Others rumoured to have made Signature pipes include Ilsted and Hedegaard, but I have not been able to verify this information.

Grades are indicated by letters, from A - J (in descending order of quality).

Comments: Signatures have not achieved the fame of W.O. Larsen's Straight Grains, though the concept of production is similar. Part of the reason may be a lack of 'brand coherence'. Most Larsen SGs made in that line's heyday are slender, elegant pipes. By contrast, Bjarne does not appear to have defined style criteria for his carvers.

Though makers like Vigen are world-class artisans, a connection with Bjarne Nielsen is not such a shining career asset as being able to boast a stint with Larsen.

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