1918 Dunhill Shell Briar........ Really???

rebornbriar · Sep 27, 2013

Someone is bidding big without researching this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dunhill-1918-ultra-rare-shell-briar-estate-pipe-4-star-great-condition-/121180925093?pt=UK_Collectables_Tobacciana_Smoking_LE&hash=item1c36f22ca5

dmcmtk · Sep 27, 2013

I just sent the seller the suggestion that he cancel and correct his listings. He has two Dunhill's, and even at a cursory glance they are frm the 1961-70 period.
Edit: This got posted twice, I deleted the second one-Uber

dmcmtk · Sep 27, 2013

I just sent the seller the suggestion that he cancel and correct his listings. He has two Dunhill's, and even at a cursory glance they are frm the 1961-70 period.

rebornbriar · Sep 27, 2013

I did also, I thought that Shell Briar was 1960. Told him that someone was paying well over the odds for something they might believe is a much older model.
Why would someone be bidding so high, and not done the research themselves as a buyer? Crazy

rebornbriar · Sep 27, 2013

Also 4S and 3S apparently is the new Dunhill STAR grading system :rofl:

flakyjakey · Sep 28, 2013

@reborn, I saw that too and I laughed so hard I nearly lost control of my sphincters!!

flakyjakey · Sep 28, 2013

@reborn, I saw that too and I laughed so hard I nearly lost control of my sphincters!! I did get a decent Dunhill Shell last week (older than that one, which looks 'speccy' in other ways too) for £70! lol

sablebrush52 · Sep 28, 2013

I just sent the seller the suggestion that he cancel and correct his listings. He has two Dunhill's, and even at a cursory glance they are from the 1961-70 period.

One can hope. I've known a few sellers on ebay to cancel auctions when confronted with a listing error. But given recent experiences, I would be surprised if the seller shut down the auction. Honesty and integrity are a hit or miss proposition on ebay. Buyers should definitely beware.

That is one bedraggled old briar with some SERIOUS stem oxidation issues.

P. T. Barnum was right.

rigmedic1 · Sep 28, 2013

Wow, that is pretty pricey, even for a Dunhill!! I thought all the prewar models had patent numbers on them.

dmcmtk · Sep 28, 2013

It looks like the pipes date from 1960 and 1966

sparrowhawk · Sep 28, 2013

It could have some value, however. Independent sellers are often more honest than the sellers like Shiny Pipes, because it's a one-shot deal with them. I sold a couple of pipes I made the mistake of buying without incident because the pipes were perfectly good, just not right for me. BTW, you can also report to eBay a fraudulent listing.

flakyjakey · Sep 28, 2013

@sparrowhawk, you are right of course. But the pipe in question is currently at £250, with a day to go, and the main bidder has a purchase record of only one, the other six! Plus, IMO the stem and mouthpiece do not 'look right'. One must be concerned about a person new to our hobby 'buying a pup', a relative 'lemon', for their money?

dmcmtk · Sep 28, 2013

Here is the seller's response to me today,
Hello,

I went on a website to date the pipes and I have not siad there is a date on the pipes but that I believe them to be of this age.That is not dishonest fool.
- elliotdavenport
Setting the mis-spelling and bad punctuation aside, I replied with what looks like the dates, 1960, 1966, and additionally the information regarding the Group size marks and suggested he do better research. If this seller doesn't close the listings, I would call his conduct dishonest and fraudulent

sablebrush52 · Sep 28, 2013

You can seek arbitration through ebay for problems, but it's not a fast or sure process. I've gone through arbitration to get a crooked seller to make restitution. I got my goods, but it was more about the seller wanting to fix things than any action taken by ebay at their glacial pace.

As for the relative duplicitousness of sellers, I've encountered plenty amongst independent sellers because it's a one-shot deal. They have less at stake.

The bidder is a complete newbie, so there's always the chance that he'll default on the sale. I don't sell often on ebay, but when I do, I don't sell to newbies due to past problems and bad behavior. They seem surprised that having won an auction they are actually supposed to pay for the item.

It's ebay. It's all a crap shoot.

rebornbriar · Sep 28, 2013

I got a similar response from the seller:

Hello,

I went on to a website to have a look at the age and I worked out that it was of this age I may be wrong I can not determine what people are paying.

Kind regards
- elliotdavenport

I would love to know what website he looked at to "work out" the age of the pipe. Given that the shell briar was only introduced 1 year before his stated date it would make a genuine pipe of this era quite valuable.
I have telephoned eBay and given them my findings, which are being passed to the listing department as we speak. Hopefully they will not be around much longer. I told them the pipe with the £250+ bid was from 1960 and the other from 1966, sent to market in 1967. That both listings should be removed in case late snipes have been set up on the cheaper of the 2 pipes (also listed as a 1918-1920).
Normally I wouldn't get involved in reporting listings, but it was the seller's flippant attitude having been contacted by 2 different people pointing out his error and giving him the opportunity to rectify it. I think his response shows he is just in this for the greedy sale.

rebornbriar · Sep 28, 2013

I have also sent the seller the following message:

Hello
I believe you have been contacted twice regarding this listing. There is not a website that would date these pipes as you have stated.
This pipe was made in 1960. Your other pipe was made in 1966. This is not supposition, it is fact.
By leaving the auctions in place, you are attempting to gain a higher price than the pipes are worth, which is about £60-£70 each on eBay. Having been informed of the actual manufacturing dates, you are also breaching Trading Standards regulations.
You should be aware that if this sale goes to a conclusion, you are leaving yourself wide open to a claim for misrepresentation, breach of Trading Standards and at the very least negative feedback. As a business

seller on eBay you should take greater care in your listings.
I have therefore contacted eBay regarding the listings giving them my findings.

sablebrush52 · Sep 28, 2013

I'm really curious to hear if ebay actually responds. That would signify a real turn around in attitude for them! There are so many ebay sellers with this kind of attitude, some with over a thousand listed sales, 100% ratings, "preferred seller" status that I come to believe that ebay ratings have little to no merit. That, or buyers are easily gulled.

dmcmtk · Sep 28, 2013

Alan, I quite agree. A Mistake from inexperience is one thing, dishonesty is another. Plus, he says "I will be listing another 2 pipes soon". His attitude clearly displays a disregard for fair dealing. Fraudulent bastard.
Dave

dmcmtk · Sep 28, 2013

Yes he added that on one pipe, but not the pipe where the bid is $410.48. The ONLY honest thing to do is to cancel and re-list.

dmcmtk · Sep 28, 2013

I again advised the seller to cancel and re-list. I just reported both items to ebay.

1918 Dunhill Shell Briar........ Really???

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