On The Expense Of Not Knowing What You're Buying

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,625
44,844
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I had been watching this auction to see what this pipe would close at. It's the most I've ever seen paid for a Corporate Era Barling. Maybe this represents a new market level for pipes from this era. It's a beauty to be sure, but not exactly what the advertising copy says.

Not exactly as described

The copy states that this pipe is one that was made while the Barling Family still operated the business that they had sold to Finlay, but the stamping tells another story. The pipe is stamped "Barling" in cursive lettering, which came into use months after the family was pushed out. It is not, as suggested, a straightgrain presentation grade from the 1962 150th Anniversary Catalog. Those pipes still retained the "Barling's Make" logo. Maybe the bidders knew that it wasn't one of those very rare Family Era Presentation Straightgrains and thought the pipe was worth the price for what it was. But if they were going on the description, they didn't get what they thought they were getting.

Imperial created a Presentation grade of pipes in the 1970's, after the Barling factories had been closed and this is one of those. They're beautiful pipes. I have one and it's a great smoker.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,074
Maryland
postimg.cc
I'm surprised that Chance would muff a listing like, you'd think he would have known better. It is beautiful. I don't know how he gets away with those poor photos (no close-up nomenclature,etc.) and so few, I guess reputation carries some weight. Particularly given that final bid. I hope the winner doesn't happen on this thread.

 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
Yeah, but it wasn't "VERY mint!" like some of the others listed. :lol: So who could have possibly cared about it in the first place, never mind bought it?
.
mint.jpg

(PS --- yes, I'm just being a smartass. Pulling Chance's chain a bit.)

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
Imperial created a Presentation grade of pipes in the 1970's, after the Barling factories had been closed and this is one of those. They're beautiful pipes. I have one and it's a great smoker.
So, during the family era, the STRAIGHT GRAIN was the highest grade?

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,625
44,844
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
So, during the family era, the STRAIGHT GRAIN was the highest grade?
Straight grain was Barling's highest grade, but in the 150th Anniversary catalog, Barling offered two grades of straight grain, straight grain and presentation straight grain. Those still retained the "Barling's Make" logo stamp.
In the 1970's Imperial created a "Presentation" grade line of pipes, some of which are stamped "straightgrain" but these have the script "Barling" stamp that was introduced in November of 1962, months after the family had been shown the door, when Finlay published its dealers catalog with the revamped product line. These were likely made by Charatan for Imperial.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,074
Maryland
postimg.cc
Yesterday, JB Hayes in VA had a "Barlings Make" (arched) bulldog in similar condition, priced at $190. Guess I should have bought it...

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,625
44,844
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
When did Barling actually introduce the Straight Grain grading ?
I don't know and it may not be knowable. We do know that Barling was stamping some pipes with a "Straightgrain" stamp as early as the late 1930's since one showed up that had a dealers name stamped on it who had gone out of business around the beginning of WW2. Aside from that one all the others I've seen are post WW2. But according to the chart Jon Guss shared with me, they don't appear in the published product line up until 1953.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I suspect a lot of the profit in auction situations is people not knowing their product. I know a few narratives on some of my pipe brands, but nothing like the detail appropriate to these Barlings. It's a study.

 
Dec 10, 2013
2,317
2,942
Nijmegen, the Netherlands
mso : hear, hear.

The same seller recently sold a Charatan countryman that was according to him a Lane Era one .

I pointed out that it was a much later one ( inserted CP rondelle on the stem ) carved in St.Claude .

IMHO not a real Charatan, but that is a subjective matter.

He did not respond.

 
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