eBay description

I think "restored" is an overused term. To me it means it's been returned to factory fresh condition, though in practice I've gotten restored pipes that have been crudely topped, carelessly reamed and over buffed but still full of gunk in the shank and stem.
When I sell the pipes I've been collecting on ebay I will say they have been cleaned and reconditioned with a description of everything done to them.

@Brudnod
I love seeing those terms used on ebay. For the majority of those sellers, their descriptions are fantasies and full BS.
"Lightly used". What in heavens name does that mean? Did the person just slightly fill the pipe and just wave the flame over it 3 inches away?
"Lovingly Restored". There's another good one.
For me, I just look at the pics I can generally tell the shape that I'm going to get it in.
At least Pipestud (Steve Fallon) says clearly on his sales that he doesn't touch them at all-they are sold just the way he gets them.
No BS there.

My son recently got a "pristine" pipe through eBay ... bowl had been reamed and both pipe and stem waxed, but it had so much gunk in the shank that it took hours and an untold number of pipe cleaners swabbing it with 151 to get it cleaned out ... sorta like draining the oil from a used car, then refilling the crank case but not replacing the oil filter, then washing and waxing the car and describing it as "pristine" ...
On the sunny side, he didn't pay very much for it and it's actually an OK, though undistinguished, pipe ...

Before restoring for a living, my eBay listings always said something like "cleaned to my liking and ready to smoke, but you may clean further if you wish" ( never left any filth in the nooks and crannies though ). Since working at SPC I haven't ebayed anything, but rather offered a few here cleaned to SPC standards but with "provenance".

My experience buying off eBay has been to look at the pics and disregard the descriptions when it comes to the degree of "restoration"; as for "unsmoked", unless I can personally see the pipe, or buy from a trusted seller with a return policy, it just means the guy who restored it didn't give it a trial smoke.

I guess I am strange about this. I have never smoked a used pipe. An ex girlfriend had a father with a substantial pipe collection. When he expired she offered me his pipes. I didn't know how to refuse, so I said I don't want the pipes of a dead guy.

I take what sellers say with a grain of salt, and figure on doing my own cleaning if I get an estate pipe. I usually try to make informed choices based on the photos. My biggest complaint is when an advertiser has little to say, or very little description, and says the photos are part of the description, and for your information about the pipe. But when I look at the pictures, many times they're dark, blurry, poor resolution, etc. When they can't even be bothered to list the stampings on the pipe, and their photos are so bad you can't tell what it says, I just move on. Whether they're trying to be evasive about the condition, or stampings, or whether they're just lazy, stupid, or don't care. I don't feel the need to do business with them. Like the saying, "There's plenty of fish in the sea", I just look else where.

If I sell anything on any site, I try to treat the buyer like I would like to be treated myself. Good descriptions, with total disclosure, and decent pictures so they know just what they're buying. I know you can't please everyone, but it really doesn't take that much effort to at least try.

Ok, I'm done preaching now. Take a deep breath and go smoke something you like!

Yeah, that's an old German Exakta, a fine camera in its day, and sadly not working now. Cost more that it's worth to fix, but I just can't get rid of it because I like its unique looks. I love using film yet, just black and white, but I have a little Canon point and shoot for most of my on line photos, and I'm not all that great with digital photography, but can make a usable image for selling items. I guess that's why switched from cigars back to pipes, I'm just getting to be a more and more of old fashioned guy. (or maybe just a cranky Luddite) :roll:

I sell alot of pipes on ebay. Mainly because I have been thinning my herd for the past year. I use "lightly smoked" alot, only cause they are. Usually 3-4 times. When I clean them I also do it to my standards, and will word it that way. I don't clean them all, it's more of a pick and choose kinda thing. I have noticed that most of the time it does not make a huge difference in the end price. So it really is not worth my time. I have some now that say "lightly used".

But I to have scored some really great deals were it said used, but was actually new with a pre-carbon bowl. Seller did'nt know the difference.

The most entertaining listing I've seen was for a "restored" pipe that clearly had an old hair sticking in the thick cake.

On the other hand, some of my prized estates came from poorly worded ads, miss-identified pipes and fuzzy pictures.

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Amen to that! It's about the only opportunity to find a deal on eBay.
You have to keep in mind that sellers on eBay represent a huge mix. Some are professionals running a business, some are doing eBay for pin money, others are selling off stuff that had come into their possession, about which they know nothing. Whatever the situation, they're all on eBay to sell something for some reason, and selling means a sales pitch. Very few, if any, are going to start out with:
"I've got this complete piece is shit that I'm hoping one of you is either stupid or deranged enough to purchase."
Believe it or not, this is not considered a good sales pitch. I would find it a refreshing change, but that's me.
With all of the uninformed amateurs posting, the opportunity for unintentionally hilarious listings is pretty good.
Caveat emptor.

I've bought several estate pipes thru ebay. The only ones that have been as described were the ones from Kathy Worth's Falcons, and an other couple of vendors. The majority have been a lot of work, but basically sound pipes.
The moral to this story is, buy from respected vendors (several are members here) or expect the worst and you won't be disappointed. If there are good pictures, really look them over. If not, you might want to pass. Be sure to ask questions before bidding.