My wife is a potter and a baker. Primarily she makes items she likes, that satisfy her, or that fill a need of a friend. But she does sell some of her wares. The truth we have come to understand is that it is VERY difficult ever to recoup what a handmade item is "worth" to the maker. The time, attention, talent, discarded failures, costs of equipment and materials -- these things are not obvious to most who might buy these things.
Pipe buyers are at least reasonably educated lot when it comes to their hobby. You don't hear too much "$200 for a little hunk of wood?!" talk at a pipe show. [Whereas I have often heard something like: "I can put my flowers in a water glass and they'll last just as long as in the hand-thrown, exquisitely fashioned, beautifully glazed vase that woman is asking $80 for."]
I think pipe buyers generally have a sens of the artistry and engineering at play in a pipe. The other side of that coin is that while LOTS of people buy pottery, folks from across the spectrum of knowledge, I think pipe buyers tend overall to be a more discerning crowd -- if only because there just are fewer of us. This means those starting out are up against a crowd of educated buyers, with exacting standards, and a sense (usually) of tradition that's going to demand a certain degree of dues-paying and demonstrated performance.
Pipe buyers are at least reasonably educated lot when it comes to their hobby. You don't hear too much "$200 for a little hunk of wood?!" talk at a pipe show. [Whereas I have often heard something like: "I can put my flowers in a water glass and they'll last just as long as in the hand-thrown, exquisitely fashioned, beautifully glazed vase that woman is asking $80 for."]
I think pipe buyers generally have a sens of the artistry and engineering at play in a pipe. The other side of that coin is that while LOTS of people buy pottery, folks from across the spectrum of knowledge, I think pipe buyers tend overall to be a more discerning crowd -- if only because there just are fewer of us. This means those starting out are up against a crowd of educated buyers, with exacting standards, and a sense (usually) of tradition that's going to demand a certain degree of dues-paying and demonstrated performance.
