Back in the Day: Pipe Prices Then and Now

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

I thought it would be fun to see what pipes cost "back in the day" (1940s-1950s) and how much they would cost today after inflation. I used this site for my inflation calculator: http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
I tried to find a nice sampling of vintage ads that included prices.
The only ad I couldn't date with certainty was the Dr. Grabow ad. From my knowledge of this time period, I made a general guess of 1945 (I like the "pre-smoke" machine in the Dr. Grabow ad: "Linkman's exclusive pipe smoking machine")
Note that the "top" price is the original price, the price underneath is what it would cost today considering the rate of inflation.
And so without further ado:

Comparing the "today" prices with what some of these models actually cost back in the day and we can see that pipe prices have not risen along with the rate of inflation. For ex. today a new Flame Grain Kaywoodie costs about $40.
I think the quality has gone down somewhat, but even still.... I suppose some of that can be attributed to better manufacturing and the outsourcing of labor in some cases.
P.S. If I am reading it correctly, the 1959 Kaywoodie "matched sets" states prices range from $10 - $2,500! That would be over $20,000 today.

bigboi · Jul 18, 2013

Thanks for the comparison Six-I agree with your assessment. Especially if you look at what people were making back then compared to now.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

Thanks bigboi. Doing this compilation actually took some time, but it was very interesting.

crazypipe · Jul 18, 2013

Many times today I think we pay more for name of the one who made the pipe than for the pipe it's self

yaboofive · Jul 18, 2013

Teddy, you beat me to it.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

I took in a '62 Dunhill Tanshell earlier this week. The original box still has the price tag on it for $9.50

Wow! That happens to be my birth year. That pipe would cost today (with inflation) $73.45.
I'll give ya $73.46. Just PM me when you're ready! :rofl:

foggymountain · Jul 18, 2013

The government figures on inflation are wrong. The usual propaganda and bull. Things today cost 15 times as much as the mid fifties. I was there. For example the subway was 15 cents, now $2.50; a full size American car cost $2,500, now well over $35,000; a good but not great suit cost $75, now over $1000; a candy bar 5 cents, now $1.50 and up. The one Dunhill I bought then was an amber root #4 that cost $22.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

The government figures on inflation are wrong.

Sure seems that way. When I started compiling these numbers I could see that there's a lot more to inflation than a simple formula.
However, if I had to guess, the 1941 Kaywoodie companion sets might actually be close to the inflated price of today IF - and only IF - Kaywoodie enjoyed the same reputation they enjoyed in 1941, came in a similar presentation case, etc.
I could be wrong, but I am thinking that Kaywoodie during this time was a symbol of quality. These days, they are the symbol of a budget pipe.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

As far as the Dunhill's go if you put in your due diligence you will find them at very reasonable prices.

I think this is true (well, that plus a bit of luck) : puffy

:

mso489 · Jul 18, 2013

Fascinating ads, photos, prices figured for inflation. Another factor, which we can only speculate about,

is the difference in pipe smokers attitudes toward their purchases. In the 1950's, I can remember when

smoking was a cultural given. A pipe smoker was supplying one of the life pleasures that was almost

regarded as a necessity. So though pipes may have been pricey by some standards -- that $22 Dunhill

cost plenty to the salaryman or wage earner of their era -- they are still orders of magnitude more expensive

now, I surmise. Dunhills have become a high end luxury collectible, and are collected by people who don't

even smoke. Still, some great smoking pipes are still available at around $50 or $60, if you shop hard,

learn about what's good, and evade all the junk at those prices. So you can get really good pipes at well

below inflation. High end pipes, even if reduced in price for inflation, and transported back to the 1940's,

would strike even the highest tone pipe men as absurdly expensive, I believe. But prices relate to what

people are able and willing to pay, and for folks who have the money, a $2,500 pipe may be a real buy.

tjameson · Jul 18, 2013

Hey at $6.50 a piece I got my WDC and Kaywoodie at pre-inflation prices haha

cigrmaster · Jul 18, 2013

six, that was pretty cool, thanks for taking the time to put it together.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

six, that was pretty cool, thanks for taking the time to put it together.

Thanks a lot Harris. I thought it would be interesting to do and I actually enjoyed it quite a lot.

mso489 · Jul 18, 2013

rothnh, at the time, I bet you felt like you'd broken the bank, but hauling down the street in your Camaro,

I bet you felt like you owned the world. Vroom-vroom. Smokin', but in a different sense. $4K plus in

1969 was some serious bread. If you'd hung onto that baby, and kept it up, it would be worth maybe

$100 K plus. Ram air, headers ... maybe considerably more.

bobpnm · Jul 18, 2013

Very cool! I think it safe to say that you are right Six about those early Kaywoodies being quality higher end pipes in their day. I've got a four digit that is from some time in that era. I would put the quality of the briar and construction on a par with my Pre Republic Petes. The stinger is another story though.

papipeguy · Jul 18, 2013

Relative to what people were being paid those figures are still in line. Gasoline was $0.29/gal when I started driving in 1969. My first new car was a 1975 Datsun B-210 hatchback for $3,600. My first house was a 3 bedroom Cape Cod in Clifton, NJ that I bought in 1977 for $55,000. In 1977 I was working in New York City and making a cool $12,500/year.

Good old days? Nah, just old days.

soggycitybob · Jul 18, 2013

Very interesting. Thanks for posting these.

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

ery interesting. Thanks for posting these.

Thanks Bob - appreciate it.

simnettpratt · Jul 18, 2013

That was awesome, six; thanks buddy

numbersix · Jul 18, 2013

@simnettpratt - Thanks man! Glad you liked it.

Back in the Day: Pipe Prices Then and Now

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