The Ones That Got Way

[OzPiper]

Fishing and hunting are full of stories of “the ones that got away”.
So too pipe buying.

These are a few that time has not yet soothed the pain of losing out

A Pibe Dan Sven Knudsen Swan


An Ivarsson designed Shape 03 for Stanwell
And it’s close sibling by Emil Chonowitsch


And a birth year (1952) Dunhill Lovat

Any of you with similar stories ?

 

[sablebrush52]

There have been many that “got away”, but only one that I still remember. It was about 17 years ago, a beautiful cased set of Barling pipes from 1915, my father’s birth year. I bid on it against a determined collector from Singapore. When the price went about twice the market value at the time, I let the SOB have it.

 

[OzPiper]

There have been many that “got away”, but only one that I still remember. It was about 17 years ago, a beautiful cased set of Barling pipes from 1915, my father’s birth year. I bid on it against a determined collector from Singapore. When the price went about twice the market value at the time, I let the SOB have it.

That’s happened to me some years ago when I was very active in wine auctions
Some satisfaction in getting the other guy to pay 2-3 times market value
But it still rankles

 

[Goblin_Walrus]

My grandfather’s pipes, which are lost now I believe. There’s always a chance, though…
I can barely remember the shape now, only remember the smell.

 

[wyfbane]

10 or so years ago SP had a Trevor Talbert Halloween pipe that had an matching rest. It was $1600 and I just couldn't wrap my mind on that much for one pipe. I should have eaten top Ramen and got that thing. I still miss it. Lol

 

[tmc]

I have three that got away. First was a Peterson 309 with patchy, but nice, birds eye. It was my second pipe and I found it in the estate section at Churchill’s in Birmingham, MI. I thought it was defective because it didn’t pass a pipe cleaner and passed it on to a friend.

Second was an unfinished Savinelli dublin that I bought at the Tinderbox in SLC. I probably smoked 3 pounds of Bohemian Scandal in that pipe. It was a great pipe that travelled many miles with me but it disappeared years ago.

Third was a rusticated Roush belge that I bought from Larry in 2004. It was a great performing pipe and light and comfortable. The problem was it was “too nice” for me and I didn’t smoke it for fear of messing it up. Sadly, I sold it. The proceeds funded a nice fly rod, which I sold a few years later to help pay for a Browning O/U, which I shoot weekly.

 

[OzPiper]

I just couldn't wrap my mind on that much for one pipe. I should have eaten top Ramen and got that thing. I still miss it. Lol

Yes, too many in that category.

I’ve missed out a few on EBay by “that much”. But none that I have huge regrets over.

 

[wyfbane]

So apparently it was a bit more than 10 years ago. God help me i couldn't find a way to link this thing. I am beginning to hate being a Luddite.

 

[wyfbane]

Yes, too many in that category.

I’ve missed out a few on EBay by “that much”. But none that I have huge regrets over.

I have too many missed ebay beauties to count. I feel that.

 

[Terry Lennox]

I have so many that got away.
I download the pictures and keep them in a folder, partly in the hope that one day I will come across them again for sale.
They haunt me.
Like this Michael Parks Canadian that was on SP in 2010.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I think for me the one that causes me the most angst was I had a commissioned matched pair of JT Cook sandblast pipes in this Dublin shape and I paid the 50% up front to secure them. I waited 16 months and then got the dreaded email that he could not complete the commission because of his health which I fully understand, just left my run to late to get them.

 

[sablebrush52]

That’s happened to me some years ago when I was very active in wine auctions
Some satisfaction in getting the other guy to pay 2-3 times market value
But it still rankles

Honestly, I was over it pretty quickly. Mine has been a life of frequent competition, mostly for gigs, most of which I got and some of which went to someone else, so I just move forward when something doesn’t work out. There’s always something else.

I did find another 1915 Barling, for which George made me two stems, one that is period correct, and another with a modern flat bit. I enjoyed that one at the recent LVPS and it’s a superb smoker.

Perseverations on regrets rob you of your life. Recognize and learn from events, make amends if amends are needed, and move forward.

 

[OzPiper]

I just move forward when something doesn’t work out. There’s always something else.

You’re absolutely right, of course.

In the end, it’s a “would love to have” rather than “must have”.

 

[huntertrw]

Perseverations on regrets rob you of your life. Recognize and learn from events, make amends if amends are needed, and move forward.

As the late Jimmy Buffet once sang, "Breathe in, breathe out, move on..."

 

[sablebrush52]

You’re absolutely right, of course.

In the end, it’s a “would love to have” rather than “must have”.

My equivalent would be the pipe I was going to commission from Ken Barnes.

He would tell me that he wanted a very special block for my pipe, then Ken was diagnosed with cancer, and then he was gone.

It all got terribly and sadly away.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Not a commission from Ken, but some pipes I was to buy from his personal collection.
Wonderful conversations by mail ( as we more often did ), pictures sent and all.
And then a brave heart stopped...

 

[orlandofurioso]

A wonderful Harrod's straight grained 7 day etc. Most likely carved by Charatan. Won it on Feebay for a song and then it got nicked by Pitney Bowes. Total shambles and sadness.

 

[Dshift]

I have only one like that and it was birth year 1988 dunhill Bruyere spigot. After getting outbid I went all Jason Bourne and hunted down the pipe and against all odds, three months later, it ended up in my hands

 

[ssjones]

This Comoy's was listed back in 2015 for $499 BIN. I passed. It was only 1057 with a drilled C logo that I've seen, and I've been watching Comoys ebay ads daily since 2010. It was also the only Blue Riband 1057 I've seen. Another example has never shown up, at not on Ebay. The seller didn't have a great reputation so I didn't bite. I keep searching....






A consolation prize was this Dunhill Root Briar that I won a few years ago, for a lot less than $500.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Not long after joining this forum in 2011 one of the members here had some pipes for sale and one of them was a simple billiard made by Craig Cooper. When I inquired about buying it, I was informed that it had already been sold. I'm not sure why I liked that pipe so much, maybe the grain, the longish stem, whatever it was gone. A few months later it was back for sale here. I jumped on it and I still have the pipe. I can't remember the details of the sale or who I bought it from, they may still be a member here. Craig Cooper was a member here too although I think he quit making pipes years ago. Anyway, here's the lovely long billiard that I'm talking about, but I'm still not sure what drew me to it years ago or why I still have it, but I do smoke it fairly regularly.