Charatan Crown Achievement 7 Day Set - $25k!

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ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Charatan-Crown-Achievement-7-day-set-in-factory-alligator-case-/111449015056
I normally don't post active Ebay auctions, as I don't want to blow up someones spot. But, I think this one is beyond our collective means.
I'm not up in my Charatan information. But, I don't recall seeing meerschaum lined Crown Achievements. I think this might be a tough sell at $25k.
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dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
That is just a pretty amazing item! Note, only one of the pipes has a Meer lining. I think I've ever seen two Crown Achievment's offered, one by Marty Pulver, and one on ebay by Hank Saatchi.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
They certainly are a set of beauties. I don't think I could spend that much on pipes even if I had that kind of money. Of course if they were to throw in a 25000 dollar ashtray....

 

numbersix

Lifer
Jul 27, 2012
5,449
53
Nice find Al - thanks for sharing. I have no idea of value of this type of set. They look gorgeous, but also smoked - there's stains on the satin cover. And not enough photos were provided and the seller hasn't many reviews. I'd be nervous about this one.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
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He should have let Pipestud, Mike G or someone similar handle that set. There is definitely not enough photos. I doubt anyone would risk $5k on that seller.
None of the Crown Achievement pix I could find had the symbol above the CP.
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But those above are lacking the "L" Lane mark that this set has:

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dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I would think that because of the relative scarcity of these pipe's production, there could be some variations in the markings. Interesting in the listing, the seller says, "Every pipe is fitted with a factory hallmarked 9ct gold band. The hallmarks are stamped F.C. which is the UK Birmingham makers stamp of Francis Clark." Whereas pipephil states, "Hallmarked gold band: stampings of the leopard head, 325 (9 Karat gold), and "FC" (Frederick Charatan).", which makes more sense. For a more general history of Charatan's, and the pipe's markings, the excellent article translated from Italian by Mathias Acciai, is well worth taking a look at.
http://pipedia.org/wiki/Dating_of_Charatans

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I guess if you're a hedge fund billionaire with residences on three continents, looking for something

to pique your fancy and distract you from your hedging, spending 25K on a case full of pipes might

take your mind off things for a day and a half. Nice pipes.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Nice set! Not worth the price by a long shot. I'd like to know the origin of the prices quoted. The presence or lack of a Lane stamp doesn't really prove anything. Plenty of Lane era Charatans, not intended for export, lack the Lane stamp. The pipes are used, and the examples shown are not at all mint. There's rim discoloration, and blackening of the meerschaum. Gorgeous grain, as befits a Charatan of that rank. And there are the crappy DC stems.
I mean really, no pictures of all of the individual pipes. The pipes haven't been cleaned. This one isn't going anywhere.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
There's a suqueurre born every minute. I don't imagine many FleaBay shoppers will byte on this offering, although, it is rather fetching.

re: suckers...two of my first acquisitions were synthetic briars...one a The Pipe (heavy bugger, but serviceable), and a Yello Bole Standard Brylon that spit out the bottom portion of Yello like a piece of egg shell after a few smokes...not sure if that means I should stop using this thing or not...but I have...and I've learned to shy away from what "looks" good to pipes with much broader appeal and higher ratings among aficionados.
I got a St James London Pipe for $.99 with a Meersh lining the other day. It's got an oval shank, beautiful grain and is feather light. Smokes cool and smoothly. Amazing. I also picked up a square shanked 4 panel marked only 'imported briar'...it's just a smidge over 5" long...very light in the hand and it too smokes beautifully. $3.95 & $3.95 shipping. Looks like a Dunhill model to me.
Somebody stop me! I have PAD. Even at these prices, it's kinda like gambling...and you can lose your perspective.

 

neverbend

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 20, 2014
230
5
The prices of these sets was always arbitrary and intentionally set very high. It was prestige all the way down the line, from manufacturer to store to the end user. The sets became a topic of conversation in other shops and it was news when the set finally sold (usually at a steep discount). $40,000 actually sounds in line with what I have heard and his $25,000 asking price isn't far off. Would I buy the set? Aside from the fact that they're all bent, never. Should you, no. I'd help some kids in Africa and fund my granddaughters college fund. Chances are that the owner is showing off his stuff and not really intent on selling it.
Dave, thanks for the link. It's nice to see Barry Jones getting some well deserved love but there were several fine craftsmen at Charatan before Dunhill broke up the party and they didn't always work in a linear fashion so Barry (or others) would have worked on many pipes. We applaud the shaper of the pipe but when you get pieces like this it was the Cutter who made them special. Thus if Barry Cut and Stan B. (forgot his last name) shaped it's a Barry Jones pipe to that degree.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
postimg.cc
Making a set like that for a celebrity makes sense. I'd love to know who owned or purchased that set as new.

14 hours left on the auction...

 

dochudson

Lifer
May 11, 2012
1,635
12
anyone checked prices for an alligator case that size?
don't forget there are a lot of international buyers out there to which $25k is chump change.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Did you hear the story about Charatan making 3 top grade pipes for sale at $10,000 each? Picasso bought one and lit it up immediately which shocked some in the pipe world. He was already an old man, so why should he not enjoy his prized possession?
I've heard the story. The grade was Summa Cum Laude, of which Charatan only made three. But in the version that I read, the pipe was presented as a gift to Pablo Casals, who promptly put a match to it.

 

philobeddoe

Lifer
Oct 31, 2011
7,403
11,569
East Indiana
I'm glad he smoked it, a pipe is made to be smoked and he was in a financial position that he didn't ever need to sell the pipe, therefore he could enjoy that beautiful specimen of the pipe makers craft. The story would be even better if he had loaded it with Mixture 79.....oh the humanity!

 
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