S. Bang Pipes: The End of an Era. Article About Their Retirement.

[scloyd]

Per Hansen and Ulf Noltensmeier are retiring and there will be no more S. Bang pipes.

S. Bang Pipes Closes Its Doors | Smokingpipes.com - https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/bang-pipes-the-end-era

If you own a S. Bang pipe...let's see a photo.

 

[Casual]

Those pipes are well above my pipe cost tolerance. I’m sure they’re very nice, but I’ll likely never get accustomed to that level of expense for a piece of wood I occasionally try not to set on fire.

I love the idea of an artisan business, where you can earn a good living in a small shop.

 

[ssjones]

thanks to a Philly club member, I've had the opportunity to hold several S. Bangs. They are works of art, well beyond my means (or desire). But, perhaps one day someone will list this at a ridiculously low BIN...

 

[sablebrush52]

They are quite beautiful. Give it time. Prices will be dropping on them.

 

[kcghost]

I always wanted to own one but at the prices they were commanding never could. And now it is over.

 

[tbradsim1]

S Bang Giant, had a good cane crop so I treated myself.

 

[olkofri]

They are quite beautiful. Give it time. Prices will be dropping on them.

I think it's gonna be the opposite: with production stopped, any extant pipes will only increase in price. SPC has the cheapest at ~$2,750; I can see the same pipe going for 10 grand on ewwBay a year from now.

Ah well, I'll never own a Bentley either, anyway.

 

[scloyd]

S Bang Giant, had a good cane crop so I treated myself.

Very nice!

 

[sablebrush52]

I think it's gonna be the opposite: with production stopped, any extant pipes will only increase in price. SPC has the cheapest at ~$2,750; I can see the same pipe going for 10 grand on ewwBay a year from now.

Ah well, I'll never own a Bentley either, anyway.

Going, perhaps, but not selling.

I see the pipes and tobaccos market as inevitably shrinking as the older generation of collectors give off one last fart, fall off the twig, and their collections and cellars go on the market, if not in the trash.

Further restrictions on tobacco and implements.

Less new collectors to take up the slack.

Less demand, more supply, decreased prices.

It's already happening with pipes as people focus on buying tobaccos. Prices are off on British pipes by 25-30 % over a few years ago. And some of the collectors who were into the higher end more collectible British pipes 20 years ago tell me prices are down more than that.

Maybe it will all go to China, which is still a strong market. Eventually that will change as all markets do.

 

[olkofri]

Yeah, it's been the Chinese who've driving the prices over the clouds. Maybe they'll eventually get bored and pursue the next white elephant.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I owned one. Beautiful pipe with perfect workmanship but it didn't smoke particularly great. I think They picked the perfect time to be in the business and aware likely picking a good time to bow out. If I see one I really like that isn't a crazy price, I may buy it just because. I enjoy the pipes I have from Rubio, Larrysson, Alden and Cermak so much, not that much motivation.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I could never justify such prices though I own a few bordering a grand. Pretty things though.

 

[alaskanpiper]

The pipes are certainly fun to look at, but them becoming unavailable will impact me about as much as the price of eggs in Sri Lanka.

 

[sablebrush52]

I owned one. Beautiful pipe with perfect workmanship but it didn't smoke particularly great. I think They picked the perfect time to be in the business and aware likely picking a good time to bow out.

It's interesting to read this. Several collectors I know have told me that they loved the workmanship, but not the smoking properties, which contributed to my deciding not to buy one. But I also know a few who absolutely love the pipes. Maybe their output was variable.
I also had the same thought regarding their timing when I saw the title for this post.

 

[sablebrush52]

The pipes are certainly fun to look at, but them becoming unavailable will impact me about as much as the price of eggs in Sri Lanka.

Well, you never know about those Sri Lankan eggs.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Well, you never know about those Sri Lankan eggs.

That's true. I'm certainly more likely to acquire them some day than an S. Bang.

 

[weezell]

I see the pipes and tobaccos market as inevitably shrinking as the older generation of collectors give off one last fart?, fall off the twig, and their collections and cellars go on the market, if not in the trash.

Nice analogy Sable! Very true I believe...