A Beginner's Pipes Cost $900

[cosmicfolklore]

It's not the price or any increase in value. Well, I don't have a rack full, but I do enjoy using the few artisan pipes that I have. Once you connect with the thing and meld with such an intimate object in the ritual of smoking, it can be something more than just getting a hit of nic. No, not everyone will really "get" the artisan thing. But, I don't knock corn cobs, and actually I do have a drawer full of them that I meld with in a different way. There's lots of things that I don't "get." But, who am I to knock them? I've said this before, but I will never own a Corvette, a Cadillac, a Picasso, or some other "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" sort of thing. But, a moderate artisan icon of a pipe is not out of my reach. I can own the Picasso of pipes, or the Lamborghini of pipes. I can't own many, but it's not as out of reach as new Harley Davidson. In a way, the artisan part of the hobby isn't completely out of reach. But, if it's not you thing, then so be it. I'll gladly join you with a corncob on the porch. ::

 

[Perique]

What's rational about a hobby? Enthusiasts are the most irrational people in the world. I work in an enthusiast industry and it's the same across the board.

 

[fishingandpipes]

Regarding the Russian, it's clear that he's a good woodworker. I'd nitpick some of those shapes though, the Canadian, Dublin, and Volcano in particular.
The others are so wild there's nothing to compare them to (and I don't have much of an opinion on horns).
Some of the new carvers from that region are quite talented, to be sure. Leads to an interesting topic: what separates a highly skilled woodworker who makes pipes, and a highly skilled pipemaker? I'd consider them to be two different things.

 

[Perique]

Some of the new carvers from that region are quite talented, to be sure. Leads to an interesting topic: what separates a highly skilled woodworker who makes pipes, and a highly skilled pipemaker? I'd consider them to be two different things.

Interesting question. I would think an experienced woodworker could make a beautiful pipe without much experience in pipemaking. But beauty is different than performance.

 

[Strike Anywhere]

As to whether we are near a bubble, I think a lot of that depends on the Chinese. They are buying an awful lot of high end pipes at the moment, and if that market dries up for whatever reason, things are likely to get painful.

This is one of the most relevant aspects of this thread.
The market in China, and to an extent Japan, resembles the American market of yesteryear. I wasn't a pipe smoker during this time, but ask "old timers" what it was like when the Danish movement really took hold. What about the introduction of Castello pipes to the US market? They will tell you some good stories.
Chinese and Japanese buyers are pushing the price threshold higher and higher. If people are paying, expect some pipe makers to take advantage. Can't say I blame them.
My question is, as peck points out, what happens when they move on to the next thing? It won't just be the individual carvers to take a hit. I'm sure Dunhill and Castello are seeing strong sales in Asia too (which has probably helped push up their prices proportionally). Only time will tell.

 

[mso489]

Nine hundred bucks. People drop that much at the track or the casino. Not old Scottish-blooded me, but some

do. So that's what buyers are doing. They betting this guy is the Mozart of pipes, figuratively writing a symphony

at six. Either that's true, and they get in cheap, or it's not, and they had better enjoy smoking this guy's pipes.

 

[nurseman]

When I see " the white spot " asking near $800.00 for a factory pipe with mediocre grain - paying a new carver 900 for an original work does not seem out of line.

 

[nurseman]

<br />

 

[crazypipe]

Not for me ::

 

[ssjones]

What's rational about a hobby? Enthusiasts are the most irrational people in the world. I work in an enthusiast industry and it's the same across the board.

Great points Perique. Most of our purchases, be it older estates or new artisan pipes are all based on emotions which motivate us to hit the "buy" button. Just having the opportunity acquire a particular piece is how I always rationalize paying more than what I feel a pipe is "worth".
Having read through the comments here on Mr. Kurusu, I can see how his pipes are selling at that high price point.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I just grabbed the Kurusu apple just so Foggy could laugh at me.

 

[fishingandpipes]

The Chinese single-handedly drove bitcoin from ~120 to ~1250 in the span of less than a month. Dudes have some money to spend.
When negative news came from the region the price dropped to ~320 temporarily, and fairly quickly. It hasn't gone back to 1250 yet
I do think prices are artificially high at the moment and think we're in a "pipe boom" but that doesn't speak to the quality of this man's pipes.

 

[foggymountain]

Peck: Please let us know how it smokes. Not laughing.

Briarblues: Thanks for the information on Ray's background. It certainly has a bearing.

Simonettpratt: Wouldn't you hate to drop one of those pointed pipes?
About paying $800 for a Dunhill with not as good a grain--Firstly if you buy the Dunhill from a European dealer the $800 pipe costs more like $600. About the grain, I buy a pipe to smoke, not look at. A lot of these pipes with beautiful grains don't smoke that well. Other things are involved, particularly the age and curing of the briar. Dunhill has worked out a formula that makes about 99% of their pipes smoke well and consistently (if not finished with certain bad tasting stains). They are predictable. If I buy a Bruyere of a certain shape and size I know what it will taste like. The only artisan pipes I have that I like as much as a Dunhill are by Rad and Lasse. Neither of them are as consistent in my experience. I have been disappointed in some of the artisan pipes I have tried & would not be interested in getting burned again.

It seems that Ray is an unusually talented individual and the pipes are beautiful, but for $900 I would buy a Dunhill and have $300 left over. It must be fun to have thousands of dollars to spend on each pipe, and If I did I would try one of Ray's.

 

[shaintiques]

I think another important question to consider is what sets a maker apart? Or when is he not a beginner? I

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I like the look of artisan pipes, but I would never buy one, just far too expensive and not my style. Give me a bent Peterson 307 any day.

 

[numbersix]

Great post Foggy and excellent question too.
I appreciate the different takes on the subject and I think BriarBlues made a good case for the expense. I also liked this comment by BB:

They are well beyond my threshold of pain though.

lol!

 

[simnettpratt]

@foggy: Yes, I would hate to drop one of those pointy pipes. Then again, if I could afford to buy $900 pipes, I'd cry all the way down to the post office in my Ferrari to donate another ten pounds of tobacco for shaintiques to give out, and I'd feel better.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'll admit that I have yet to figure out what makes pipemaking seem so hard that you'd have to apprentice with someone first. I've gone over my pipes with gauges to figure out what makes each of them smoke differently, and they all look fairly basic to me. Two holes of various gauges. They aren't nearly as complex as making a dovetail joint or a hinged door, and people figure that stuff out without apprenticing or taking a class all the time.
I think that we just enjoy these implements of ritual and we enjoy making this whole thing more mysterious than it really is.
The tools are simple and the material is fairly easy to work with.
That said, I will still applaud anyone getting a high price in any craft. Heck, we have a guy in town who punches child-like designs into sheets of old used tin with a screw driver and claw hammer, and yanks come down here from all of the big cities and give him thousands of dollars, so that he can stay drunk all day, every day. It's a beautiful world, and sure... I'm a little jealous of these guys who figure out how to live well off of the stuff they make. I do well for myself, but seeing things like this inspires me to work harder, be more creative, and occasionally I get curious about whether I should develop some skills in drinking, lol.

 

[bulletsnbriars]

I'm a Capitalism loving, free market endorser with a fair amount of knowledge of economics. I was going to write long reply, but everyone has made my point for me. Would never pay 900, but some may find it worth it.
Laissez faire. No disrespect intended.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

@simnettpratt, but just maybe if you rode a bicycle to the post office and built your own log cabin, grew your own food, and kept life cheap and simple, you'd have lots of $900 pipes. You don't have to be able to afford a Ferrari. Heck, I will never be able to, but I can come up with $900. It just depends on what one's priorities are. For me, I'd much rather have a nice pipe than a new car. But, not everyone is the same.