Am I understanding this sentence by Tolkien correctly?

I hope that my inadequate knowledge of Swedish – no better than my kn. of Dutch, but I possess a v. much better Dutch dictionary! – tends to exaggerate the impression I received. The impression remains, nonetheless, that Dr. Ohlmarks is a conceited person, less competent than charming Max Schuchart, though he thinks much better of himself.

[Wikipedia]

1. Does the "less competent than charming Max Schuchart" part mean that Dr. Ohlmarks is less competent than "the" charming Max Schuchart? Or something else? Can you really leave out "the" there?
2. Why does Tolkien use "kn." for "knowledge" and "v." for "very"? (Assuming that’s what the "v." means.)
3. Is "a very much better" really correct English? I assume so, since it’s Tolkien, but it sounds very strange to me.