What is an Antique Pipe

[Briar Lee]

My other obsession is shotguns, and in the USA an antique shotgun has a legal definition of pre 1898. Those can be, subject to local laws, sold and traded as easily as antique pipes.

But also, each year there’s a fifty year old rolling definition of a “collectible shotgun” that collectors can apply for a special, optional collector’s license to trade. But in my opinion there may be a very few truly collectible 1973 shotguns, every 1973 shotgun is modern.

What’s an antique pipe?

I have a 1910 hallmarked calabash and an old meerschaum pipe with German markings on the case that I consider antique.

My 4 hole stinger Kaywoodies are collectible, but not antiques.

My Loewe pipe in the mail is a modern pipe, but if it was an antique Loewe with a spigot it would be antique.

Is there, a working definition of an antique pipe?

 

[sablebrush52]

An "antique" anything is 100 years old or older, by definition. Younger than that, it's "vintage".

 

[telescopes]

Ceci N'est Pas Une Antique Pipe

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don't think it matters as being classified as an "antique" doesn't bring about any extra money for a pipe... unless there is some other historical significance to the pipe. In fact some of the oldest pipes out there on eBay, are some of the cheapest, and also go unsold for long periods of time. Just being old doesn't necessarily make it any better... like people.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Generally speaking @sablebrush52 is correct. Anything over 100 years old is an antique. Pipes can be tough though because the vast majority of pipes can be attributed to a specific year. So the best we can do lump them into eras. I'd say any pipe made before 1930 is safe to call an antique.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Generally speaking @sablebrush52 is correct. Anything over 100 years old is an antique. Pipes can be tough though because the vast majority of pipes can be attributed to a specific year. So the best we can do lump them into eras. I'd say any pipe made before 1930 is safe to call an antique.

Edit The vast majority of pipes CANNOT* be attributed to a specific year.

 

[fireground_piper]

Only 25 years for automobiles.

 

[monty55]

Good thing I'm not an automobile. I'd rather be considered vintage than an antique.

 

[pappymac]

I have an antique Salmon & Gluckstein pipe with a silver band. The hallmarks dates it to between 1896 and 1915.
I'm three years away from having an antique Dunhill that was produced in 1926.

 

[bullet08]

Antique pipe would if it was an alligator, it would be a pair of shoes. Maybe a belt.

 

[Briar Lee]

If an antique pipe is a century old pipe, this Loewe will be an antique in another fifty or sixty years.

View attachment 192460

My modern Loewe might be of some interest to collectors of British pipes, but my thought is a truly antique pipe is Pre World War One.

Even then most of them can’t be precisely dated.

 

[pappymac]

A friend who also visits the forum asked me, "Who are Salmon & Gluckstein?"

"Salmon & Gluckstein was an early 20th century English distribution chain, with its own pipe catalog, probably made by La Bruyère. It had over 100 shops in England, which after being purchased by Imperial Tobacco Co., changed their name to Bewlay."

 

[shanez]

Legal definitions of firearms, and just about everything else, don't really apply to reality since usually they were adopted for tax purposes but sometimes for stricter regulation. For reference look up the legal definition of a tomato vs a scientific definition.

That being said, I've always been told over 100 years is antique, over 20 years but not yet antique is vintage, and under 20 but not modern is retro.

In reality (from a fashion article I liked):

The most egregious abusers of the jargon are sellers who follow this (inaccurate!) “classified” historical classification system:

Antique: Something that is, like, really old. Probably musty, dusty, and moldy. Probably made of wood. Usually unstylish.

Vintage: Something that is too old to be considered “used” but not as old as Grandma. By calling it “vintage,” the seller tries to distract the buyer from the item’s blatant imperfections. Like many “retro” items, “vintage” items are often either mid-century modern (in style if not in fact) or related to bygone pop culture, junk food or fashion trends.

Retro: Something that is basically outdated and out of style. By calling it “retro,” the seller hopes to assign sentimental or historical value to something that is simply no longer cool. Or, the “retro” item may actually be quite new but is “preloved” (read: pretty beat up).

 

[condorlover1]

Anything smoked by me would probably count as 'ancient' or 'very old' but one mans antique is another man trash.

 

[mikethompson]

I'd say if @ashdigger is interested, it's probably an antique pipe - that's my barometer at least.

 

[mikethompson]

View attachment 192377
Ceci N'est Pas Une Antique Pipe

Maybe not, but that is a very nice looking Pete!

 

[ashdigger]

Only 25 years for automobiles.

In Nevada those are categorized as “classic”

 

[canucklehead]

In Nevada those are categorized as “classic”

I miss my antique classic 1994 Toyota Corolla.

 

[ashdigger]

Antique - an 1892 Peterson - All Original



Antique Restored as close as possible - 1911 Peterson Calabash



Antique - Modified - 1902 Peterson Meer with Three Different Stems.

 

[fireground_piper]

I miss my antique classic 1994 Toyota Corolla.

That’s the spirit. Get those special plates, registration and inspection bypasses!