I Miss The High Rollers

[mso489]

Many members may have me pegged as a thrifty (miserly?) pipe buyer. I have some up-market beauties, but most of my pipes are mid- and low-end. Now I confess, I miss the prevalence of high roller pipe buyers on Forums that used to show up with magnificent museum quality high end pipes on a regular basis. There were a number, like the late great fish-n-banjo and the not-recently-heard-from peck. They had me all bright green with envy with their mind blowing artisan pipes posted every week or two. I'm not saying there aren't some treasures posted here regularly -- sable's Barlings, not to mention masterpieces crafted by members themselves. But a few years ago, spectacular purchases or items from personal racks popped up continually. I like the egalitarian tone. More of us smoke MM cobs and American factory pipes, or at least, more admit it. But I didn't mind turning a little green now and then and enjoying the super grade pipes if only vicariously.

 

[logs]

You're right, cobs and factory pipes are pretty dull. Posts on vintage Dunhills are equally dull from my perspective. I like seeing the really imaginative crazy pipes some people make.

 

[verporchting]

I miss the Bay City Rollers. Not. ?

 

[Bengel]

This thread shows some of Fish’s high end pipes
Show Off Your $2000+ Pipes Here :: Pipes: Show Us Your (fill in the blank) Pipes - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/show-off-your-2000-pipes-here.24273/

 

[verporchting]

Man, I really miss Fishnbanjo and his pipes, but mostly because he was clearly enjoying them so much.

His pipes were amazing but that same collection sitting in a display case would not impress me nearly as much as seeing him dressed up for the weather and smoking his favorite blends in them.

 

[Sonorisis]

It does seem that a pipe says something about the person smoking it.

 

[verporchting]

I used to belong to a British car club and man we had fun, but the standing rule was you got bonus points for bugs on the grill. We had members with beautiful cars, Rolls Royce, Jaguars, old and rare models, etc., but concourse points only got you so far. The guys who drove to the meetings and shows got way more kudos for driving the car than for showing up with a trailer queen - no matter how shiny or expensive. It was about enjoying what you had.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Banjo was smart, a lot of bartering with vintage fly fishing equipment and knowing who had the lay away plans. He's one of the ways I got some of my $1000+ pipes easily. He led me to one of my most expensive Holm pieces.

 

[fightnhampster]

Fishnbanjo ?

I've been a member of another forum for years. he posted so many pics of himself and his pipes that they renamed the forum category after him! And that was before he passed. Now it is a great memorial.

 

[frankrizzo]

I’m just now catching up on the news! When did we lose Fishnbanjo? He truly had an amazing collection of pipes. Like mso489, I enjoyed seeing the pipes he posted. His post were always entertaining, well reasoned, and insightful.

 

[ssjones]

I loved seeing some of the uber high end pipes. What ever happened to the Russian carvers that were all the rage 4-5 years ago?

 

[ron123]

I loved seeing some of the uber high end pipes. What ever happened to the Russian carvers that were all the rage 4-5 years ago?

They might be getting more money overseas than they can charge here? I know Starkov and Revyagin both still can't make pipes fast enough, to keep up with demand. Not sure, but I think Yashtylov and Grechukhin are also selling as fast as they can make 'em. There's some younger Russian carvers as well, but I know less about them, than the little that I know about the guys mentioned above.

 

[danimalia]

Many members may have me pegged as a thrifty (miserly?) pipe buyer. I have some up-market beauties, but most of my pipes are mid- and low-end. Now I confess, I miss the prevalence of high roller pipe buyers on Forums that used to show up with magnificent museum quality high end pipes on a regular basis. There were a number, like the late great fish-n-banjo and the not-recently-heard-from peck. They had me all bright green with envy with their mind blowing artisan pipes posted every week or two. I'm not saying there aren't some treasures posted here regularly -- sable's Barlings, not to mention masterpieces crafted by members themselves. But a few years ago, spectacular purchases or items from personal racks popped up continually. I like the egalitarian tone. More of us smoke MM cobs and American factory pipes, or at least, more admit it. But I didn't mind turning a little green now and then and enjoying the super grade pipes if only vicariously.

I wouldn't consider you miserly from what I've read. Or, at least, a modest piper is a nicer sounding description. I feel I'm the same way. The most expensive pipe I've bought was a Radice that cost me $145 shipped.

That said, I like seeing all the nice, crazy expensive pipes too. Hopefully he won't be offended by being mentioned here, but i remember Shanez went on an incredible buying spree around the holidays and it was fun checking out all his new goods.

 

[bullet08]

i spend much time looking at what i want. takes me days to decide if i'm purchasing a pipe. they are all middle of the road and below. i do enjoy looking at expensive and crazy pipes, but it's more of fascination than wanting to own one. much prefer traditional shapes and the look of peterson.

 

[mso489]

I'm always surprised and pleased at how well pipes bought for extra modest prices smoke. Sometimes serviceable but quite often pretty wonderful. I've gotten onto that track, and enjoy a few up-market pipes, some of which are gifts, and the many others mid-priced or bargains. But seeing the carver masterpieces is always a thrill. They are often true and advanced works of art in wood carving and visual art.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm not going to call myself a high roller... :cough cough::: but we still have guys who have some pretty awesome pipes still as members. Maybe buying has slowed down as we all stock the hell out of our cellars before the FDA knocks all of our pieces off the board.

But yeh, it seems that we get more "Best cheap pipes" types of threads. Which, there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but when the cars that roll by are all Fiestas, Honda Fits, Kia Fortes, and Jettas, it makes us wonder where all of the Jags, Maserati, and Bugattis went.

 

[fightnhampster]

I’m just now catching up on the news! When did we lose Fishnbanjo? He truly had an amazing collection of pipes. Like mso489, I enjoyed seeing the pipes he posted. His post were always entertaining, well reasoned, and insightful.

Yeah, it was sad news. It must have been about a year, year and a half ago I think.

Some other members may have a better memory than myself.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Speaking of high rollers, we've got npod posting on here very often, but he tends to save his pipe pictures for Instagram for some reason, but he is definitely in the active high roller category.

 

[kcghost]

I really like high-end pipes. They are just magnificent pieces of art. I know we have a segment of this site that likes inexpensive pipes but as for me, give me the expensive stuff that has age on it. Preferably American.

 

[mso489]

Yeah, I feel the Forums is in the zone when pipe smokers from cobs-only to rarest artisan pipes smokers show up regularly, that represent the whole keyboard of pipe interests. I speak up for the moderately priced pipes because that's what I smoke, and I don't want to feign a loftier interest, but I appreciate the whole range.