My Birthday Antique Shop Hunt..

St. Jacobs, ON. Plenty of antique shops there and it was a hell of a hot day to go through them all. I would say it was a successful trip because i never expected to find pipes stuff at all. Pipes were harder to find but i did see plenty of tins, ashtrays and pipe racks around none of which interested me at the moment, I wanted pipes.
First i found a Medico and a kaywoodie in decent shape for 12$ each i didnt buy those thinking theres got to be something better in the next store.
Next store there was nothing! lol (wife bought some things for the house)
Third store by this time we were exhausted and tired and agreed that this will be our final store. Then there it was in isle 124 a full display of pipes i found the holy grail (well compared to what ive seen so far) there were at least 15 pipes in this display which was a sight for soar eyes. I called over the attendant and asked her to open the display. first thing i grabbed was this miniature Meer cutty that had a case, it was like 2-1/2" long but it was cute until i say the price....$75.00!! i couldnt even fit a pinch of tobacco in there i wish i took pics of this rack cause it just got worse and worse. A clay pipe the didn't even have a draft hole there fore you couldnt smoke it....$80.00!!
I just looked hard and long and managed to find elsewhere in the store two pipes that were a bit over priced but were nice enough to work on.
Chacom Arians X7

Amphora XUA-511





















I ordered a Castleford Reamer set as well so in waiting to receive that before i start on these.

Ya they are used but nothing to serious wrong with them which is precisely why i choose these ones to work with. The only difference from these and my last two projects is the oxidation on the stems, so this would be the first time i tackle that part of a restoration. I figure every time i attempt a restoration i increase the difficulty a little and do something new. Only way to learn is to jump right in and try.

Speaking about funny prices wait until you hear what i paid for these gems.... not 5 not 10 not 20 but 25$...wait for it....a piece!!!
I know I know i could have scored way better online but there was no way i was walking out of this whole trip empty handed and these happened to be the better of the cheaper ones.
Some you Win and others you make the best of...but you can never lose as long as you learn something new :wink: thats the way i see it.

No idea how things work in Canada, but around here, those antique shops almost expect you to haggle with them on prices -- often items can be had for considerably less than sticker price.

Click to expand...

Your right but the way those places work is that people would rent out a booth to place their already set priced items and all the workers do is sell it at what the sticker price is they dont care for what it goes for. so pretty much its all consignment. Therefore it is a haggle free zone unfortunately. the actual owners of the items arent there.
EDIT: this doesnt go for all antique stores in Canada just the one i went to.

Yup im sure all cleaned ill get a little more than i spent on them it isnt making me rich though but thats not what i bought them for anyway lol i got them to expand my knowledge on restorations which in the future will hopefully pave a way to me making my own pipes. I learn alot working on estates and heck i really enjoy it too. so i may keep one sell the other or sell both to buy more only time will tell i guess.

Says a man who is well, and truly, hooked. Welcome to the craziness which is buying, refurbing, and selling estate pipes Smokeybear. I predict good times ahead.

Click to expand...

Yessir there is no denying i am loving it. And i really need to chill out lol to many pipes sitting in my basement right now 10 of which looking for a home, 10 others waiting to be shipped to their new home, three needing TLC and 12 in my private rotation not to mention my J.parker and Dunhill on the way. oh and a zulu i got off briarbid. man i need to chill lmao.

I have 4 more estates I picked up!

Click to expand...

What you got? lol No im just playing i cannot take on more, not yet. but just for shits and giggles what you got?

You giys are lucky to find such nice works

Click to expand...

What there's no antique shops/ Garage sales / flea markets in Brantford I am sure there's something there or around there.