General Manager Alexander Eckert

The people who, these days, which are characterised by the hectic nature of contemporary lifestyles, put aside the time for a passion are very special people indeed. The enjoyment of a genuine pipe, the pleasure of a pleasant aroma, effused by noble pipe tobacco, is such a passion which unites people the world over. To all those who maintain their love for the details of daily life, VAUEN sells top quality pipes, filters, tobacco and accessoires. The world of VAUEN is part of an attitude towards life. An approach shared by those people see beyond the end of their nose (and pipe-bowl). With peace and contemplation, pipe lovers enrichen those around them by communicating with them and life, and take an active part in contemporary events. Individual, highly imaginative, in just a very special way. Top quality and commitment for the needs of all passionate pipe-friends will also provide the drive for VAUEN the pipemaker and its staff in the new millenium as well.

Quality and an abundance of ideas are traditional characteristics of VAUEN, which go back 150 years. This means 150 years of craft skill paired with contemporary technology. 150 years experience of the individual wishes of the pipe-lovers of today and tomorrow. Come with us through the world of VAUEN - the passionate pipemaker - since 1848.

In 1848 Karl Ellenberger and his partner Carl August Ziener turn an idea into reality in Nuremberg. In the first German pipe manufacturing company they produce tobacco pipes from selected woods for connoisseurs throughout the world. The Vereinigte Pfeifenfabriken in Nuremberg (known in short as VPFN) was brought into being in 1901 with the amalgamation with the Gebhard Ott pipe factory founded in 1866, also in Nuremberg. In this way a business is created under the management of Ernst Eckert, a scion of the founding family Ott, and its products and services were to attend and shape the culture of tobacco and smoking in Europe and overseas for a long time - for 150 years now.

In the search for a term which would be easy for all pipe friends to remember and not confuse with anything else, Ernst Eckert's son, Adolf Eckert coins a new name for the business in 1909. VAUEN, consisting of the initial letters V (pronounced VAU) from Vereinigte Pfeifenfabriken and the N (pronounced EN) of Nuremberg. A brand name for the future has been created.

1 - Medal for progress 1873, World Exhibition Vienna
2 - Goldmedal 1876, World Exhibition Philadelphia
3 - Goldmedal 1882, World Exhibition Nuremberg
4 - Goldmedal 1883, World Exhibition Amsterdam
5 - Goldmedal 1904, World Exhibition St. Louis
6 - Goldmedal 1906, World Exhibition Nuremberg

"Dear Miss!
A smart guy always smokes the real Dr. Perl!"

Advertisement - 1926

After 1945 Ernst Eckert, son of Adolf Eckert, succeeds in overcoming the destructive effects of the war with an unshakeable pioneering spirit. VAUEN grows to become a business with a world-wide reputation once more. Alexander Eckert, now the fifth generation of pipemaker has been at the head of the oldest German pipe-manufacturing company since 1982. The company, which has been in the hands of the founder's family since it was established is expanding again in importance as a result of increased international commitment.

It is precisely in little things that the power of innovation can be seen. In 1921 VAUEN is one of the first manufacturers to introduce a paper filter for its pipes. VAUEN improves and develops the pipe-filter further and in 1934 presents a world novelty, the Dr. Perl junior activated charcoal filter. A convincing innovation which in the course of time moves virtually all pipe manufacturers to convert their filter bores to 9 mm.

VAUEN sets a far-reaching trend in motion with this invention. More than 95% of all German pipe-lovers today smoke with an activated charcoal filter. Top performance in terms of filtration and the dry cool pleasure of smoking with a Dr. Perl junior filter is also resulting in a continual change in smoking habits outside Germany as well and it sells more than any other 9 mm activated charcoal filter in the world.

In order to maximize filtration performance VAUEN has fitted all pipe models with the Conex system since 1968. The plug of the pipe is conical in the inside. The special design of the plug makes sure that unfiltered smoke does not pass through. Another forward-looking invention the VAUEN company which meets the high demands of true pipe enthusiasts.