Who is Kaj Nielsen?

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Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
2,689
25,147
France
We all know Kai but who is Kaj? I cant find any reference but I have seen a few pipes for sale. Nothing in pipedia.
 
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AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,133
15,037
PMF Recovery Center
Here is a pic. There is also a pipe shop with a few of his pipes. They also have kai pipes in a different category.

Nielsen is the most common name in Denmark so I suppose thats how it goes. I looked it up and 5 percent of the population has that last name.


View attachment 328813
That's so interesting! And I'd imagine that this person or company was invested enough in pipes that they had a specific stamp made.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
2,689
25,147
France
One person says its early kai. Kaj in denmark is a different spelling. I will have to make some calls. Some Kaj pipes have the silver spike in the stem. Hmmm
 
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Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
2,689
25,147
France
Well the danish pipe shop didnt know.

Digging there are reports that Kai had a mistake made on a stamp die that he used anyway. Supposedly kaj is the danish spelling of the same name kai in English.

Every pipe I found with Kaj looks like a nielsen family pipe. A lot have has his silver nail in the stem. The stain work looks right too. Same with the stem work.

No one seems to have the definitive word which explains why one shop that has them suggested they were his but didn’t emphatically say they were.

I wrote Kai. I dont know that I will hear from him.

Im considering a pipe with that stamp. For the price it looks great and has beautiful stem work. Its not at a collector price so not a big deal. I would just like to know.
 
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briarblues

Can't Leave
Aug 3, 2017
450
888
Well the danish pipe shop didnt know.

Digging there are reports that Kai had a mistake made on a stamp die that he used anyway. Supposedly kaj is the danish spelling of the same name kai in English.

Every pipe I found with Kaj looks like a nielsen family pipe. A lot have has his silver nail in the stem. The stain work looks right too. Same with the stem work.

No one seems to have the definitive word which explains why one shop that has them suggested they were his but didn’t emphatically say they were.

I wrote Kai. I dont know that I will hear from him.

Im considering a pipe with that stamp. For the price it looks great and has beautiful stem work. Its not at a collector price so not a big deal. I would just like to know.
I hope Kai replies. Back when open, I had a few Kaj's and Kai's come through. While some of the stains where similar, the stem work around the button was different. Maybe earlier Kai's and he adjusted his button shaping later, or two different people. Can't wait to see what you find out.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
2,689
25,147
France
I have a couple of different Kai pipes (signed Kai) and one is from a different era. The button look much different than the newer one. I think every maker evloves and experiments.

Here are some KAJ pipes some with silver spike, some without.

I have found at least 10 pipes around the internet as estates marked KAJ and zero record of a KAJ maker. The only reference I have found connects directly to KAI. Of course that is not proof.

To me they look like earilier works that are a bit more traditional as he was moving into making his own interpretations as we see today.

See bottom two pipes also. One a KAJ estate, one a new KAI.
Weird.


IMG_6820_AL_2020_07_09.jpg



1723194750918.jpeg


KAJ ESTATE BELOW
1723194787277.png


KAI BELOW (new)

IMG_9826_AL.jpg

@briarblues Here is a KAI signed pipe I have with a button that is very different. Its still comfortable but different than the other I own and from others I have seen. Wider and tapered as opposed to thin.
button.jpg
 
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