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'''Karl Erik Ottendahl''' (1942 - 2004)</font> | '''Karl Erik Ottendahl''' (1942 - 2004)</font> | ||
was born in Aalborg (Jutland), just a few miles from the very northernmost tip of Denmark. He began smoking a pipe when he was 14 and upon leaving school he started an apprenticeship in the craft as a lithographer at the age of 16. While working as an apprentice he began hand carving pipes as a hobby and to give as gifts to his more senior colleagues. | |||
[[Image:Otten_40.jpg|thumb|right]] | [[Image:Otten_40.jpg|thumb|right]] | ||
Upon completion of his apprenticeship he moved to Nairobi, Kenya to work as a lithographer during the 1962 war. While in that war torn country, he was unable to procure pipes for himself. In the face of such a predicament, he chose to continue to make pipes for his own use rather than go without. He returned to Denmark after three years and began making a few pipes on the side to boost his income. His reputation grew and he was finally able to purchase machinery and begin working full time as a pipe maker. | Upon completion of his apprenticeship he moved to Nairobi, Kenya to work as a lithographer during the 1962 war. While in that war torn country, he was unable to procure pipes for himself. In the face of such a predicament, he chose to continue to make pipes for his own use rather than go without. He returned to Denmark after three years and began making a few pipes on the side to boost his income. His reputation grew and he was finally able to purchase machinery and begin working full time as a pipe maker choosing his prenames "Karl Erik" - logo "KE" - for his label. | ||
He began his career making pipes for various labels in Denmark and the United States. Often he would make the higher grade pipes for a well known brand that was known for their | He began his career making pipes for various labels in Denmark and the United States. Often he would make the higher grade pipes for a well known brand that was known for their low end or midrange pieces such as [[Wally Frank Ltd.]] of NYC. While doing this he administered a factory of up to fifteen craftsmen, each of them specialising in certain steps of the production. Namely '''Bent Nielsen''' (see [[Benner]]) and '''Peder Christian Jeppesen''' (see [[Neerup]]) later became respectable pipemakers on their own. | ||
Brands produced by Karl Erik Ottendahl: | Brands produced by Karl Erik Ottendahl: | ||
* '''Champ of Denmark''' | * '''Champ of Denmark''' ¹ | ||
* '''Jobey Dansk''' (For [[Weber Pipe Co.]] | * '''Jobey Dansk''' (For [[Weber Pipe Co.]]. The pipes were illustrated in the cataloges of [http://pipepages.com/jobeypage.htm The Tinderbox] from 1970's - 80's.) ² | ||
* '''Knute''' | * '''Knute''' (Also known as "Knute of Denmark"; more a second with frequent rustications) | ||
* '''Larsen & Stigart''' (Once a famous Copenhagen pipe shop, now almost forgotten. They even managed to supply [[Dunhill]] with wild danish fancy pipes.) | * '''Larsen & Stigart''' ¹ (Once a famous Copenhagen pipe shop, now almost forgotten. They even managed to supply [[Dunhill]] with wild danish fancy pipes.) | ||
* '''Shelburne''' | * '''Shelburne''' ¹ | ||
* '''Sven Egholm''' | * '''Sven Egholm''' (A second brand.) | ||
* '''Wenhall''' | * '''Wenhall''' (For Wenhall Pipes, New York) ³ | ||
KE discontinued all exports to the United States in 1987 due to waning sales and attempts of his business partners to screw down prices. | |||
During this period he did make of some of his own handmade pipes, but he felt that the responsibility of managing the factory did not give him the freedom he wished he had. | During this period he did make of some of his own handmade pipes, but he felt that the responsibility of managing the factory did not give him the freedom he wished he had. | ||
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¹ <font size="1">[[Jobey]] - obviously only as a ghost brand - was transferred to Saint-Claude, France to be manufactured by [[Butz-Choquin]] in the very same year.</font> | ¹ <font size="1">It is almost impossible to draw a sharp line between some of these brands... Larsen & Stigart - once a famous Copenhagen pipe shop, now almost forgotten - offered pipes produced by KE stamped "Larsen & Stigart" as well as pipes stamped "Larsen & Stigart" + "Champ of Denmark" or "Larsen & Stigart" + "Shelburne". Almost needless to say, there are pipes stamped "Champ of Denmark" or "Shelburne" only. And the only reason is unconsisting stamping??? (BTW Larsen & Stigart employed own indoor carvers for appr. one decade - e.g. [[Søren Eric Andersen]]. They even managed to supply [[Dunhill]] with wild danish fancy pipes.)</font> | ||
² <font size="1">[[Jobey]] - obviously only as a ghost brand - was transferred to Saint-Claude, France to be manufactured by [[Butz-Choquin]] in 1987 - the very same year when Ottendahl discontinued all exports to the United States.</font> | |||
³ <font size="1">Michael [[Kabik]], who made freehands for Wenhall for a couple of years, reported that Wenhall Pipes folded shortly after moving from New York to Miami, Florida. Hence "Wenhall - Made in Danmark" might be a great rarity.</font> | |||
[[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Denmark]] | [[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Denmark]] | ||