Hey All,
I have already decided what to do on this one, and am now curious as to what the pipe veterans would do.
I started collecting pipes a few months ago. I'd get an occasional one at an antique store, usually a heavily used Dr. Grabow for $8 or so. I bought a nice brand new one at Iwan Reis, and then picked up a few in Ebay auctions. You all know how it goes on the Bay. I bought 8 pipes (turned out to be clunkers. How'd I know?) for $40. I bought 21 pipes and rack for $80. After a month of finding nothing in Thrift stores and antique stores I decided to put an ad in the regional "shopper" paper looking for pipes. I then got a call from a guy that lives about 60 miles away, coincidentally in the same town my 82-yr old mother resides in. I drove over and met him at his home.
He was a 90 year old guy. Walker, lap dog, frail. He was a great conversationalist. We had some great conversation about working in the mines (my father did, as did he). He was very interested to learn about pipe-smoking competitions. He had nicely displayed a pipe rack and jar and some lightly smoked pipes that were pretty run of the mill from what I could see. A Willard Panel, 2 Dr. Grabows, a Medico, and a couple of cobs. There was also an Edward's Canadian that I liked and a goofy looking thing that I hadn't seen before. The jar had filters and cleaners and stick matches. I told him (honestly) that I had been buying used pipes for $5-10 each online and I offered him $50 for the works, and he flinched a little but say what the heck. He told me that there was one in the tobacco jar that I didn't see. It was a little pocket pipe still in the bag. Whatever. I've never been interested in those. We talked for a long time. He quit smoking in 1971 so these things hadn't been touched in 43 years. We thanked each other for the time spent and I left with my pipes.
When I returned home an hour later I did a little research and discovered that the Goofy looking one is a Yellowbole "Chinrester" that is apparently kinda rare. I have seen them mentioned on this forum and that they have gone for $30+ on Ebay. In addition to that, the pocket pipe is what I'm writing about. It is a Big Ben Pipo that is in perfect condition, in the bag as I mentioned. I looked around online and see that these go for anywhere from $40 - $100+ brand new. I don't know if a 50-year old one is worth more or less than "new" price. So my question is this: He didn't have any idea what the value of these pipes was and I feel like I should have paid the guy more given that the Canadian is in such nice shape, the Chinrester is a very unique pipe, and the Pocket pipe is probably worth at least $40. It is bugging me that I got this guy's collection for so little. But is was an honest deal made through a newspaper ad. Q: Is it appropriate to swing by when I'm over there this weekend and give the guy some more money? If so, what's fair?
Also: regarding the Big Ben Pipo. Is is pronounced "pie-po" or "pee-po"? I don't want to sound like an idiot.
Thanks!
Gordy (Truenorth)
I have already decided what to do on this one, and am now curious as to what the pipe veterans would do.
I started collecting pipes a few months ago. I'd get an occasional one at an antique store, usually a heavily used Dr. Grabow for $8 or so. I bought a nice brand new one at Iwan Reis, and then picked up a few in Ebay auctions. You all know how it goes on the Bay. I bought 8 pipes (turned out to be clunkers. How'd I know?) for $40. I bought 21 pipes and rack for $80. After a month of finding nothing in Thrift stores and antique stores I decided to put an ad in the regional "shopper" paper looking for pipes. I then got a call from a guy that lives about 60 miles away, coincidentally in the same town my 82-yr old mother resides in. I drove over and met him at his home.
He was a 90 year old guy. Walker, lap dog, frail. He was a great conversationalist. We had some great conversation about working in the mines (my father did, as did he). He was very interested to learn about pipe-smoking competitions. He had nicely displayed a pipe rack and jar and some lightly smoked pipes that were pretty run of the mill from what I could see. A Willard Panel, 2 Dr. Grabows, a Medico, and a couple of cobs. There was also an Edward's Canadian that I liked and a goofy looking thing that I hadn't seen before. The jar had filters and cleaners and stick matches. I told him (honestly) that I had been buying used pipes for $5-10 each online and I offered him $50 for the works, and he flinched a little but say what the heck. He told me that there was one in the tobacco jar that I didn't see. It was a little pocket pipe still in the bag. Whatever. I've never been interested in those. We talked for a long time. He quit smoking in 1971 so these things hadn't been touched in 43 years. We thanked each other for the time spent and I left with my pipes.
When I returned home an hour later I did a little research and discovered that the Goofy looking one is a Yellowbole "Chinrester" that is apparently kinda rare. I have seen them mentioned on this forum and that they have gone for $30+ on Ebay. In addition to that, the pocket pipe is what I'm writing about. It is a Big Ben Pipo that is in perfect condition, in the bag as I mentioned. I looked around online and see that these go for anywhere from $40 - $100+ brand new. I don't know if a 50-year old one is worth more or less than "new" price. So my question is this: He didn't have any idea what the value of these pipes was and I feel like I should have paid the guy more given that the Canadian is in such nice shape, the Chinrester is a very unique pipe, and the Pocket pipe is probably worth at least $40. It is bugging me that I got this guy's collection for so little. But is was an honest deal made through a newspaper ad. Q: Is it appropriate to swing by when I'm over there this weekend and give the guy some more money? If so, what's fair?
Also: regarding the Big Ben Pipo. Is is pronounced "pie-po" or "pee-po"? I don't want to sound like an idiot.
Thanks!
Gordy (Truenorth)
