Is This Pipe Worth It?

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mattsem

Might Stick Around
Oct 14, 2014
74
0
Hi guys,

I kind of like the look of this pipe

just have no idea whether it worth it for the price or not

any help would be greatly appreciated
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1970s-SAVINELLI-Extra-Vintage-Oval-Stamp-KING-SIZE-Estate-Pipe-n75-/251680786850?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a995809a2

 

mattsem

Might Stick Around
Oct 14, 2014
74
0
@gigger,

thanks mate, great advices. i read you message

so i guess what you saying is that if i want a pipe for smoking (not collecting which im not a collector) i should buy unsmoked pipes.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,088
6,412
Florida
One thing about a 40 yr old briar...it's sure to be aged.

I read about the various qualities of briar and its preparation before transformation.

I wonder about whether an older piece of wood might perform better than a pipe made from "recently" harvested briar.

 

mattsem

Might Stick Around
Oct 14, 2014
74
0
Sorry guys im bothering again

i just need to check with the experts as i have no idea about this pipe and can only say that i like the looks of it
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stunning-Ben-Wade-Majestic-Designer-Series-C-Made-in-Denmark-Estate-Pipe-/291261467055?pt=UK_Collectables_Tobacciana_Smoking_LE&hash=item43d08949af
is it a good pipe? how much it worth?

 

wyfbane

Lifer
Apr 26, 2013
5,117
3,517
Tennessee
Hi. One thing about the Sav: the seller. Ole Shinypipes has been caught photoshopping pix for ebay then when people get the pipes they are not as represented. He is one to watch out for, but not in a good way.
The Ben Wade looks nice. My friends and I have a rule of thumb regarding pipes like that. Any pipe that is a good smoker is worth $50...
In the estate ebay market you can get great pipes for like 1/2 of retail. Be patient. Good luck.

 

mattsem

Might Stick Around
Oct 14, 2014
74
0
@wyfbane, thanks mate. i kind of suspected that the photos have been enhanced

also it sucks to live in Australia as even if i get a pipe for a good price i still have to pay 20-30 dollars for shipping

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'd say $25 would be a fair price for a pipe that age and type, if it is clean and functional. Which it might not be.

 

peteguy

Lifer
Jan 19, 2012
1,530
906
Gah, shinypipes again...........
Has anyone noticed their latest "trick" where they do not list anything but some random amount of numbers/letters and basically it is an add that they buy estate pipes? I do not like them Sam I am.

 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
The rule of thumb is that an estate in good condition is worth only 50% of what its retail price would be. If you follow this then an $250.00 estate had a $500.00 value when new. If taken care of properly, a briar ages gracefully. A restoration can make even a badly oxidized stem, and make it look presentable. Smoke stains on the rim can be removed, and polishing the stummel does the same. Sometimes an old estate will require a stem replacement, but that's only $25.00. What makes me disinterested are "soft" spots inside the bowl, small divots, or spider-webbing; but most estates don't have these problems. I've owned/smoked many estates and have never regretted it.

"

 

tuold

Lifer
Oct 15, 2013
2,133
165
Beaverton,Oregon
Buying an estate pipe on ebay can be fun and rewarding. But if you are not sure what you are looking for and don't know the comparative value of pipes, you are risking your hard earned cash. If you are set on an estate pipe I'd say buy one from a forum member here who can advise you on the use, care and maintenance of the it. You will know precisely what you are getting and what to expect when you light it up for the first time.
The alternative is to save some more money, do some research, ask questions and buy a new pipe with a known pedigree.

 

jjjarhead

Might Stick Around
Nov 14, 2014
66
0
Hi 4nogginsmike, you say that an estate pipe values about 50% of its full price, by that you mean a restored one or one well-uesd and uncleaned?

 
Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,159
Washington State
If that listing wasn't from Shinypipes I would say it would be a great find, but you never know what you're gonna get from those people. Its definitely not like a box of chocolates either. :mrgreen:

 

mromagna

Lurker
Aug 4, 2014
46
0
This is good intel. With out the input of this community one would only have the sellers rateing on ebay to go on. I can speak from experience when I say that some sellers threaten neg feedback if you give neg feedback. I was burned on a pipe I won on eBay. The pipe i won was definitely not the one pictured. There are so many reputable estate pipe sellers out there with their own sites.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,632
44,856
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
ShinyPipes is almost as bad as that CooperArk guy.
Newbie, please elucidate. I've seen examples of doctored picts by Shinypipes, as well as having been put off by the combative attitude that flavored the verbiage on their listings.

I've bought from Coopersark a number of times with no issues, except for the last time, when I felt that the internal cleaning could have been better. But otherwise the pipe was as shown and the cosmetics were first rate.

So what in your experience makes Coopersark worse than Shinypipes?

 

adam12

Part of the Furniture Now
May 16, 2011
931
13
@sablebrush52
Coopersark has some of the dirtiest practices on FleaBay to sell a pipe. If you read his descriptions all of his pipes have been lightly and carefully formerly enjoyed and he has lightly and carefully thoroughly cleaned, sanitized, rejuvenated, and polished the pipe to a clean condition inside and out. I have seen him buy the trashiest pipes for the cheapest prices he can get them for.
7 or 8 years ago a friend set me up with a person at the Richmond show why had a couple of very well smoked and overly abused Heeschen pipes he wanted to get rid of. Both pipes were virgin blasts and both pipes had a major large blackish spot around the base of the pipe. I said thanks but no thanks because I do not buy estate pipes from people I do not actually know and never buy estate pipes that are as used and abused and not even cleaned or reamed. Both pipes were heavily caked shrinking the bore to about 1/2 size. Cooperark was not far away from where I was talking with this gentleman and I suggested he talk to him because. He went right over and talked to Rob and as I watched money changed hands. I later asked the guy if he got a good decent price and he mentioned he got less than what he wanted ($220) but he was the only person at the show that made offered to buy them. About 2 weeks later Cooperark on FleaBay had 2 Heeshens the exact same shape listed for sale but now there were blasted black stained pipes that were blah blah blah blah. Coincidence? Not really, Coopersark has the reputation for doing things like that.
I was also sitting in a room one evening at the show in Chicago when another FleaBay dealer and Coopersark were having a discussion about refurbishing pipes. Coopersark began to tell him that sometimes you need to top a pipe if it is heavily scorched around the rim and then hope you can match the staining without having to strip and restain the entire pipe. The person proceeded to ask him what stains and where he gets his stains from and someone else who was not in the conversation but listening to it all chimed in and asked about but listening like others of us were doing ... well Rob all of a sudden became quite and told the person he was talking to that he would talk to him later in private.
When buying from Coopersark you really have no clue as to what actual condition that pipe was in before he gently cleaned and sanitized it into a lightly smoked and enjoyed pipe but then like everything you buy used on FleaBay it is always buyer beware.
So your belief that he is a "dirty seller" is because... he cleans his pipes in a manner that don't expose the original condition to you?
Seriously?
Have you ever posted anything positive on this website about anything, anyone, or anybody?
You sure like to damage peoples' reputations based on some frivolous shit-talk. The fact that you're doing it anonymously is pretty juvenile, predictable, and suspect.
ShinyPipes is a notorious liar. Coopersark isn't, and your statements above don't seem to suggest he's a "dirty seller". In fact, he has one of the highest eBay reputations and attends nearly every pipe show. Louise and Jay personally recommended him to me almost 10 years ago. He's a winner on the pipe show floor doing exactly what you bash him for here.
I'm banking you have an axe to grind, and that's why you're here. In fact, judging from your posts, several axes. You're an annoying gossip freak.
Just a hunch dude.
And if you don't have an axe to grind, then lighten the F up.

 

bigc

Lurker
Nov 16, 2014
4
0
As a noobie I have thought about buying a couple Mr. Brog pipes I have not seen anyone talk about them they look good with a nice price is it to good to be true. I really like the amigo and his no.100 frog carved. I have seen some YouTube reviews and they all seem like good reviews for these pipes.

 

elduderino

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2014
186
1
St.Paul, MN
Okay I get the skepticism with eBay sellers but how about " reputable" B&Ms that sell estates?
3 weeks ago I got a Karl Erik (0) estate pipe from my girlfriend for an Anniversary present. The pipe was beautiful except for the 1/4 inch divot in the bottom of the chamber past the draft hole. The pipe came reamed clean but the shank was a mess. So I gave it a alcohol/salt treatment.

All cleaned out it smoked good until the halfway through the bowl. I smoked a couple different blends but each got so saturated moister in the bottom half I couldn't relight it.
Fast forward a couple weeks on how to fix it... Do I fix it with pipe mud or go to the B&M for an exchange. With the knowledge of how much my GF paid for it ($125)I choose the latter of the two, with a push from my GF.
I walked away with a lovely Bari Wiking Freehand estate for $15 more and it was much cleaner! And she smokes like a dream. And yes, I did give my GF a 101 in looking at estates.
So with the above mentioned. Wouldn't you think it good practice to ream and salt/alcohol your estate pipes for sale at a B&M? At least pipes over a hundred dollars.

 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
The matter of estate pricing is complicated.
To answer a question, the estate value of 50% of the pipe when new can include/exclude restoration. This I think is just one of the variables that determine an estate's price, and although 50% is that value's standard, that can vary given what someone wants to pay for it. The worst value is returned by individuals who specialize in estates and the B&Ms/mega shops that will only pay 30%. For instance a few years ago, when I "quit" smoking, an individual paid $1900.00 for 50 of my pipes. It's just as bad if you sell to the professional shops. In short, when selling don't plan on recouping anywhere near what you paid for a pipe. Selling to a private individual, an associate, is probably your best bet. Think of what you get for your car if you trade it in vs. an ad in the paper. The professionals are giving the value that suits them for their business, and their business is their livelihood.
A new pipe is a known quantity. The manufacturer sells for a set price, and the retailer that buys it pays it. Estate pipe value is more liquid. "Something is worth what someone will pay for it." If a B&M thinks they can sell an estate for an amount over 50% of its value new, that's where they will start. One of the most fair standards is that a B&M will base the selling price on what they paid for the pipe.
As regards new vs. estate, briar pipes often last for a long time. When I buy estate I exclude any pipe that is listed as "heavily enjoyed," or that list degradation in the chamber. I've often bought estates for $200.00-$300.00 as that was the only way I could afford a Castello or Matzhold.

 
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