Jess Chonowitsch - a legend
Jess Chonowitsch is undoubtedly one of the absolute legends of the Danish pipe-making avant-garde. Hardly anyone has a higher reputation, there are hardly any other pipes that arouse more desire, and there are few pipes for which higher prices are paid. This all became even more pronounced when he retired from the business in 2006.
Connoisseurs count his pipes among the best that have ever been and will ever be made.
Uncompromising quality
His reputation is based not only on his constant striving for perfection - which he has come very close to - but also on his high level of creativity and innovative strength. Added to this are his uncompromising demands on Bruyere. You will probably not find a pipe with a "Jess Chonowitsch" stamp that is not flawless.
Son of Emil Chonowitsch
All this is of course no coincidence, as he is the son of none other than Emil Chonowitsch, also a pipe maker, and for years a pipe maker for Poul Rasmussen (Anne Julie's husband). Jess later worked with his father in his workshop, which they shared.
Other famous names
However, he also got his start with Poul Rasmussen, where he learnt the craft of pipe making from the perspective of a repairman. After Poul's premature death, he moved to the specialised dealer and pipe manufacturer W.Ø. Larsen, which at that time produced a large number of pipes. Hans "Former" Nielsen was head of production here at the time. Although every pipe was handmade, there were fixed shapes and finishes. Each shape had its own number. This time was very instructive for him, but also very frustrating, as he was hardly able to realise his creativity.
Creative work with Sixten Ivarsson
So he looked for an opportunity to work creatively and found it with none other than Sixten Ivarsson. In the mornings he worked at W.Ø. Larsen in the mornings and switched to Sixten Ivarsson in the afternoons. However, his work here was not honoured at first. Only when Sixten felt that his pipes were good enough to bear the stamp "A Ivarsson Product" was he paid for his work.
Criticism moulded him
Jess Chonowitsch loved working for Sixten Ivarsson, because it was here that he learnt about the freedom of creative work. But that didn't mean that he didn't criticise his work. He criticised him sharply, which only made him more ambitious to improve his skills and formal language. He learnt from him that mouthpieces are an integral part of the creative process and not a "necessary evil".
Self-employed since 1970
In 1970 he ended his collaboration with Sixten Ivarsson and stood on his own two feet. Through him, he had made important business contacts in Japan, the USA, Switzerland and Germany. He found grateful customers for his own pipes, which he built in his father's shared workshop.
In the 80s and 90s of the last century, he was a major designer of some important pipe shapes for Stanwell, which are particularly sought after by connoisseurs today
Only a few pipes left
It is difficult to say how many pipes Jess Chonowitsch made in his career, but it must have been a few hundred a year in the 1980s. When he retired in 2006, he still made the occasional pipe for pleasure, which were either sent to the USA or Switzerland. But it was never more than one or two dozen a year.
Aesthetics and craftsmanship go hand in hand
Jess Chonowitsch pipes are not only a technical delight, but also an aesthetic one. His pipes are 95% smooth, polished and have an excellent grain. Very, very rarely sandblasted. He likes to use bamboo for the stems. All his pipes have the well-known round "Jess Chonowitsch Denmark" stamp. Some very special pipes have an additional "bird" stamp.
His pipes - whether new or estate - are among the most sought-after pieces in the collector's world. We are pleased and proud to have some in our range.
