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Knudsen, Sven: Difference between revisions
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In 1959 he had enough of this unfavourable situation and left Rasmussen. Sven Knudsen furnished a small workshop of his own in Copenhagen and began to work as self-employed pipemaker. He sold his pipes to some of the most prestigious Copenhagen P&T shops like '''[[W.Ø. Larsen]]''', '''[[Poul Olsen]]''' (of "My Own Blend" fame) and '''[[Pibe-Dan]]'''. The house catalogs featured his pipes prominently for many years. From the Pibe-Dan catalog 1961/1962: | In 1959 he had enough of this unfavourable situation and left Rasmussen. Sven Knudsen furnished a small workshop of his own in Copenhagen and began to work as self-employed pipemaker. He sold his pipes to some of the most prestigious Copenhagen P&T shops like '''[[W.Ø. Larsen]]''', '''[[Poul Olsen]]''' (of "My Own Blend" fame) and '''[[Pibe-Dan]]'''. The house catalogs featured his pipes prominently for many years. From the Pibe-Dan catalog 1961/1962: | ||
<center><gallery> | <center><gallery> | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_13.jpg|<font size="1">Flat Cut & Aslant shape</font> | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_14.jpg|<font size="1">Walrus & Square Bowl shape</font> | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_15.jpg|<font size="1">Swan & Duck shape</font> | ||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
Furthermore he was contacted by '''Svend Bang''', Ole Larsen's right-hand man, who offered him the position as workshop manager at the newly established W.Ø. Larsen workshop. BTW, '''Ole Larsen''', the proprietor, and Sven Knudsen became very close friends. Under the aegis of Sven Knudsen W.Ø. Larsen pipes became one of the bedrocks of the Danish freehand fame! | Furthermore he was contacted by '''Svend Bang''', Ole Larsen's right-hand man, who offered him the position as workshop manager at the newly established W.Ø. Larsen workshop. BTW, '''Ole Larsen''', the proprietor, and Sven Knudsen became very close friends. Under the aegis of Sven Knudsen W.Ø. Larsen pipes became one of the bedrocks of the Danish freehand fame! | ||
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The pipes, stamped "Dantonian - Handicraft of Copenhagen", became very popular and a considerable success in sale. But even though the fraternal company broke apart after ca. 2½ years. Teddy left in early 1973 to pursue his own way. Sven Knudsen moved to Næstved in southern Sealand where he continued to make pipes under the Dantonian name for some years more. | The pipes, stamped "Dantonian - Handicraft of Copenhagen", became very popular and a considerable success in sale. But even though the fraternal company broke apart after ca. 2½ years. Teddy left in early 1973 to pursue his own way. Sven Knudsen moved to Næstved in southern Sealand where he continued to make pipes under the Dantonian name for some years more. | ||
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Sixten Ivarsson, who cherished Sven's work very much, introduced Sven's pipes to his Japanese business friends and customers. Hence no wonder-- thanks to Sixten's personal recommendation and due to their outstanding quality Sven's pipes became very popular in Japan quickly. Very popular? It would be much better to call it an enormous hype that took on grotesque features! As Sven's daughter Marianne later reported her parents' house in downtown Næstved was strictly beleaguered by Japanese customers who would come to stay in the country for days at a time and turned the lot into a camping-site, living in tents while waiting patiently for her father to get some pipes finished! The girl was busy all day bringing them those enormous amounts of hot water they asked for. Watching all the usual habits of Japanese way of life like eating rice, raw fish and seaweed, drinking tea e.c. must surely have been a very odd sight in the eyes of a young Danish girl at those times! | Sixten Ivarsson, who cherished Sven's work very much, introduced Sven's pipes to his Japanese business friends and customers. Hence no wonder-- thanks to Sixten's personal recommendation and due to their outstanding quality Sven's pipes became very popular in Japan quickly. Very popular? It would be much better to call it an enormous hype that took on grotesque features! As Sven's daughter Marianne later reported her parents' house in downtown Næstved was strictly beleaguered by Japanese customers who would come to stay in the country for days at a time and turned the lot into a camping-site, living in tents while waiting patiently for her father to get some pipes finished! The girl was busy all day bringing them those enormous amounts of hot water they asked for. Watching all the usual habits of Japanese way of life like eating rice, raw fish and seaweed, drinking tea e.c. must surely have been a very odd sight in the eyes of a young Danish girl at those times! | ||
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Image:KnudsenS_09.jpg| | |||
Image:KnudsenS_10.jpg| | |||
Image:KnudsenS_11.jpg| | |||
Image:KnudsenS_12.jpg| | |||
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From 1973 to 1997 Sven Knudsen, meanwhile acknowledged as one of the best pipe artisans worldwide, continued to make his highly praised pipes that he mainly sold directly to private customers and a few selected traders. | From 1973 to 1997 Sven Knudsen, meanwhile acknowledged as one of the best pipe artisans worldwide, continued to make his highly praised pipes that he mainly sold directly to private customers and a few selected traders. | ||
<center><gallery> | <center><gallery> | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_05.jpg| | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_06.jpg| | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_07.jpg| | ||
Image: | Image:KnudsenS_08.jpg| | ||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
[[Image:KnudsenS2.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Sven Knudsen]] | [[Image:KnudsenS2.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Sven Knudsen]] | ||
Sven had been suffering from health issues (diabetes) before. But now, in 1997, things got worse. The diabetes caused an onset of severe neuritis and peripheral neuropathy, a partly very painful desease impairing his dexterity significantly. As if this wasn't enough, a severe allergic reaction - of all things to the dust of briar! - now forced him to close his workshop for official records. | Sven had been suffering from health issues (diabetes) before. But now, in 1997, things got worse. The diabetes caused an onset of severe neuritis and peripheral neuropathy, a partly very painful desease impairing his dexterity significantly. As if this wasn't enough, a severe allergic reaction - of all things to the dust of briar! - now forced him to close his workshop for official records. | ||
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A really touching end to the career of a man who made many an example of the finest Danish handcrafted pipes ever! | A really touching end to the career of a man who made many an example of the finest Danish handcrafted pipes ever! | ||
[[Image:KnudsenS3.jpg|left|]] Sven Knudsen stamped his pipes "S. Knudsen" and with a logo depicting the head of an ancient Corsican wearing a bandeau. This was also a hint to the origin of his briar he personally selected from the saw-mill. A grading was not used but of course - Who told such nonsense? - he used more than one color to stain his pipes! | |||
[[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Denmark]] | [[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Denmark]] | ||