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Born in 1968, Cornelius Mänz was a textile designer before he began carving pipes in 2001, producing 60-70 pipes a year by 2004. Until June 2003 the stamp read "C. Mänz handgemacht" in a straight line; from July 2003 it took the form of a rugby ball reading "C. Mänz Germany." The number in the stamp gives the month and year of production (403 = April 2003). Grades run in ascending order CD, C, BC, B, AB, A, and the very rare "best."