▲ (Left side)
S & G (In oval) Anniversary
(Right side)
London. England, 9436
▲ (Underside)
S. Bang (Arched) København (Arched)
[Per's signature]
Handmade, in Denmark
Sven Bang opened his tobacco and pipe shop in 1968 in Copenhagen. He was more a business man than a pipe carver and began to hire pipemakers. About half a dozzen succeeded each other in his workshop during the 1970's (Ivan Holst Nielsen, Jan Wideløv, Phil Vigen...). At least Per Hansen and Ulf Noltensmeier stayed and when Sven retired in 1983 they took over the company (in 1984) keeping its name.
Production: ~ 500 pipes/year
Stampings: The pipes are not necessarily stamped with the year of manufacture nor with Ulf's or Per's signature.
European pipe gradings (ascending): Black blast, Tan blast, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C and D (very rare)
US market pipe gradings: no grading. The pipes bear a code. i.e. "9736": 36th pipe made in 1997.
In 1984 the "Copenhagen" marking was canceled and replaced by a "København" stamping.
▲ (Left side)
Faneuil Hall Stem markings : FH ▲
(Right side)
S.S. Pierce Co, Made in England, 363