I Need To Stop Bidding As I Keep On Winning..Another Ruthenberg

cigrmaster · May 12, 2015

I threw up a price that I thought was a good deal for this estate Brian Ruthenberg, 3 or 4 days before the auction was to close. I honestly did not expect to win as I thought my price was on the low side for this particular pipe. So on Sunday I got on my computer, checked my emails and there it was, another win. I used to always snipe at the end but the last 4 auctions I have won were all done by bidding early. It is kind of weird as that never used to work before.
So here is my 7th Brian Ruthenberg pipe. It is perfect sized group 4 that weighs in at 48 grams. I love the thick walls on this pipe as with all my pipes from Brian, they have really thick walls yet are very light in weight. This is also the first pipe from Brian that I have seen in this color which I really like. I am excited to get this one as it will be my third Apple shaped pipe of Brians and my other 2 are flake smoking machines.

mso489 · May 12, 2015

Very nice! I've always wondered if there was any point in bidding until the last minute. Well, your experiences illustrate that it sometimes is. That's a mighty fine apple.

elpfeife · May 12, 2015

I had my eye on the apple, as well. I was able to exercise sufficient self-control to refrain from bidding on it.

Now that I feel morally superior to you, Harris, I must admit I should have jumped in on that beauty!

cigrmaster · May 12, 2015

mso489, I have always believed in sniping at the end as you do. I am really shocked that my new system has worked so well. I have lost a few auctions doing this but the price was over my good deal price so I feel as it I lost nothing.
elpfeife, I am pretty sure you are morally superior to me as I have no morals. lol I am glad you showed such restraint as I really liked getting that pipe at the price I paid.

mso489 · May 12, 2015

cigrmaster, next time PAD attacks, maybe I'll fight it off with several low ball offers on ebay and see what happens. Maybe the rule is, you either pay too much or too little, so stay low. Actually, I believe the winning bids hit all over the target, and a few on the bullseye of the perfect fair deal. I don't think you benefit following the bidding through the roof and into the sky, since you can't be sure the pipe is a winner on ebay anyway.
My favorite apples were both bagged on the Iwan Ries pipe sales, a bent Vuillard, and a Ropp red stained raspberry stem straight, which looks more like a Christmas pipe than most of those sold as Christmas pipes, though it wasn't, and both real smooth French smokers.

cigrmaster · May 12, 2015

mso, all of my winning bids were not low ball offers as I have never won a thing doing that. I know what the prices are for estate Ruthenbergs, so I bid a price that I consider to be fair and something I can maybe win. My high bid on this pipe was 250.00 which is pretty much what the average price for an estate Ruthenberg goes for. All of my estate Ruthenbergs came in at between 200-250. This one I got for less than my high bid so I was very happy.

mso489 · May 12, 2015

That sounds reasonable, and intelligent. You probably have better command of market values on these pipes than most, so that gives you a pretty good range on it. Makes sense. So to bid early, probably best to make a "best fair value" bid. Also, for fine artisan pipes, this probably works because the low ball bidders are scared off. Interesting. Maybe I'd better stick with the deep discount sales. I bought a Ser Jacopo that way and have never seen another comparable pipe at that price since; I think they raised prices so even the discounts don't get back to what I paid.

cigrmaster · May 12, 2015

mso, I believe you are correct that I may be scaring off the low ballers, interesting take. I would think with the Euro being so low that you should be able to get some good deals at foreign shops for your Ser Jac's. Do you buy estate Ser Jac's?

iamn8 · May 12, 2015

I just picked up a Ruthenberg estate from Rodrigo last week, otherwise I'd've battled you for that one

that's a nice one!! Also I've been around the eBay market a lot and his auctions are a VERY different animal than any of the others. Rules that apply to other sellers don't apply on his. It's fascinated me to no end.

monty55 · May 12, 2015

Beautiful pipe Harris! I think you did very well. I almost bid on that one! LOL

fishnbanjo · May 12, 2015

Harris,

I go 50/50 when I bid on eBay, I.e. 50% of the time I drop what I feel comfortable with spending on the item, I do this after seeing if the are general sellers or tobacciana is their focus. If the former I bid early in an auction, if the latter I snipe, still a crap shoot either way depending on how much exposure the item is getting and the mood of the audiences mind and Walt.

Another beautiful Ruthenberg for your collect nice one to make that 7 day set too!

banjo

cigrmaster · May 12, 2015

Thanks for the nice comments guys, it is appreciated.
iamn8, what do you mean by very different auctions? I have been watching treasurepipes for years and in the last week I have won 2 of his auctions. This Ruthenberg and the Abe Herbaugh, both times I bid early and just let it sit. I have seen feeding frenzies on his stuff so many times, one time I saw an estate Cooke go for 1400.00 and change. Far above the original price. So if you mean people who bid on his stuff are on the crazier side, I do agree. Now are you referring to the theory that is out there that he employs shills? I have seen that been said numerous times throughout the years, some guys swear he does use them, others swear he does not. I usually never bid on his auctions because the winning bids are generally way too high for what the pipe is worth. I just got lucky with my 2 I think.
monty, glad you didn't as my high bid was only 250.00.
fish, interesting system, I would do the same on people who are general sellers.

iamn8 · May 12, 2015

God no!! I have nothing bad to say about him!! He is a very trusted advisor to me and we chat often. He's the best seller out there. The price his pipes go for accurately reflect true marked value because he's trustworthy almost to a fault. Because he's so good at what he does his pipes often times fetch premiums because you can trust him. I've watched his auctions long enough to very accurately predict what the pipe will sell for. We've discussed this a few times. All the other sellers aren't anywhere near as predictable, not even close.

papipeguy · May 12, 2015

Great pipe. That shape is really well done. Congrats and enjoy.

settersbrace · May 12, 2015

Although I know only what I see here about Brian's work I can very plainly see that his work is impeccable. I love every part of this particular piece but the band work and Cumberland have me drooling. Nice win Harris, congrats!

ssjones · May 12, 2015

You were lucky to get that beauty! On my eBay phone app, that one shows 35 retracted bids. His auctions do seem to have a very high level of retracted bids. A bidder with a "0" eBay rating put a $236.00 bid in two minutes before the auction ended.

cigrmaster · May 14, 2015

iamn8, thanks for your post. What do you make out of the person with 0 feedbback throwing up a bid with 2 minutes left? Many sellers don't even allow people with 0 feedbacks to bid on their auctions.
Al, thanks for bringing that to my attention, not that is makes any difference as I was willing to go to 250.00 anyway. 35 retracted bids on one auction is shady. I can see a couple of so, but 35? When I look at the auction I cannot see any retracted bids. I am on my laptop and don't own a smart phone. Do you think I should report it to ebay, or am I just wasting my time?
Thanks for the nice comments guys.

peckinpahhombre · May 14, 2015

Beautiful pipe. A year of pent up PAD and you are erupting like a volcano. Congrats.

ssjones · May 14, 2015

I wonder without the retracted bids, how low the final price would have been? That person pushed you to nearly your max, and it seems like they knew it.
I've called eBay twice now on this, they've promised to follow up each time, yet the retracted bids continue. I threatened to stop using eBay if they don't do something about the issue (yeah, right...) If the retracted bids are pushing the final price, that benefits eBay and sellers. So, I don't guess they'll work to hard resolving the problem.

huntertrw · May 14, 2015

This just in...cigrmaster has won yet ANOTHER Ruthenberg! Full story at 11:00 p.m.

I Need To Stop Bidding As I Keep On Winning..Another Ruthenberg

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