Buying pipes on eBay can often be a gamble but once in a great while one gets lucky and stumbles upon a real sleeper. An extraordinary pipe that’s been overlooked by the masses and sells for an incredibly low price. Such was the case with this stunning W. O. Larsen Straight Grain Pearl I practically stole the other week.
When I first saw the listing I thought it was your average Larsen; a well-made and stylish piece though nothing out of the ordinary. But when I looked a little closer at the photo showing the back of the shank and nomenclature I saw something that gave me pause.
Could that really be what I think it is… the “smoker in armchair” logo??
This is the Larsen trademark that identifies the pipe as a Straight Grain Pearl, the highest grade under the W. O. Larsen tent. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell if the “STRAIGHT GRAIN” stamping was present on the front of the shank or not as the photo lacked the resolution to pick it up.
One other thing gave me the impression that this might indeed be a Pearl; the seller also included the horn tamper that came with the pipe. On the tamper’s leather sleeve was the same “smoker in armchair” logo. It seems that tampers bearing this logo only accompany Pearl grade pipes. This was enough for me. Even if it isn't a Pearl it's still a nice piece and I'd be crazy to let this one slip by.
When I stumbled upon the listing there were only a handful of bids and it was about to end in a few minutes. The high bid was $23 and I won the pipe for $102.50 plus postage! Pearls have sold for ten times that amount. The seller had few previous eBay sales and this may have frightened off potential bidders. But as they say, faint heart never won fair pipe! :roll: Sometimes ya gotta take a chance!
The pipe arrived the other day and nearly bowled me over when I saw it. This baby is huge!! At nearly 8 inches long with a 2 ¾ inch bowl height, this is unquestionably the largest Larsen I’ve ever seen. The seller said it was a large pipe but holy cow! The grain is far better than I had expected from the original photos. Aside from some minor tooth chatter and the usual oxidation you’d expect on a 30 year old pipe it is otherwise flawless. There's not even the slightest hint of a scratch or ding. Definitely one of the best estate pipes I’ve purchased.
One thing about this pipe has me intrigued: the four white circular inlays on the stem. I’ve never seen them on a Larsen pipe until now and have no idea of their significance or what they represent. Interestingly they are noted on the pipephil.eu Logos & Markings website under Larsen, along with a photo of a Larsen pipe with the same stem inlays and grooves around the bowl as this one. Were these accents used by a particular pipe maker and if so, I’d love to know who it was.
The pipe came from the seller’s father who had what she describes as a “unique and rare” pipe collection. Rare indeed! A Straight Grain Pearl of this size doesn’t come around often and I’m so glad I can now include it in my Larsen collection.
Here are the original photos from the eBay listing. The stem cleaned up nicely!
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When I first saw the listing I thought it was your average Larsen; a well-made and stylish piece though nothing out of the ordinary. But when I looked a little closer at the photo showing the back of the shank and nomenclature I saw something that gave me pause.
Could that really be what I think it is… the “smoker in armchair” logo??
This is the Larsen trademark that identifies the pipe as a Straight Grain Pearl, the highest grade under the W. O. Larsen tent. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell if the “STRAIGHT GRAIN” stamping was present on the front of the shank or not as the photo lacked the resolution to pick it up.
One other thing gave me the impression that this might indeed be a Pearl; the seller also included the horn tamper that came with the pipe. On the tamper’s leather sleeve was the same “smoker in armchair” logo. It seems that tampers bearing this logo only accompany Pearl grade pipes. This was enough for me. Even if it isn't a Pearl it's still a nice piece and I'd be crazy to let this one slip by.
When I stumbled upon the listing there were only a handful of bids and it was about to end in a few minutes. The high bid was $23 and I won the pipe for $102.50 plus postage! Pearls have sold for ten times that amount. The seller had few previous eBay sales and this may have frightened off potential bidders. But as they say, faint heart never won fair pipe! :roll: Sometimes ya gotta take a chance!
The pipe arrived the other day and nearly bowled me over when I saw it. This baby is huge!! At nearly 8 inches long with a 2 ¾ inch bowl height, this is unquestionably the largest Larsen I’ve ever seen. The seller said it was a large pipe but holy cow! The grain is far better than I had expected from the original photos. Aside from some minor tooth chatter and the usual oxidation you’d expect on a 30 year old pipe it is otherwise flawless. There's not even the slightest hint of a scratch or ding. Definitely one of the best estate pipes I’ve purchased.
One thing about this pipe has me intrigued: the four white circular inlays on the stem. I’ve never seen them on a Larsen pipe until now and have no idea of their significance or what they represent. Interestingly they are noted on the pipephil.eu Logos & Markings website under Larsen, along with a photo of a Larsen pipe with the same stem inlays and grooves around the bowl as this one. Were these accents used by a particular pipe maker and if so, I’d love to know who it was.
The pipe came from the seller’s father who had what she describes as a “unique and rare” pipe collection. Rare indeed! A Straight Grain Pearl of this size doesn’t come around often and I’m so glad I can now include it in my Larsen collection.
Here are the original photos from the eBay listing. The stem cleaned up nicely!
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