Over time, there have been a few exceptions. But that vast majority of the time, your law of "choose the most expensive" has been in affect for me as well.
Always the Expensive Pipes…
- Thread starter rokerdepipe
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I don’t know exactly. Whenever the maker name changed from A & C Petersen to STG. And STG made further changes to downgrade it around 2013. The Perique in the older versions was remarkable.
I'm drawn to rusticated and sandblasted finishes, which tend to be more affordable than smooth finishes, so that helps keep things relatively affordable.
I've pipes from artisans and large manufacturers, and the difference in the quality of performance is negligible. At a certain point you're paying for aesthetics, which is fine. But I am not paying several hundred, or thousands, of dollars for a knot of wood I can hold in my hand. I'm not a craftsman, so I can't speak to the effort and talent necessary to make these high-end pipes, but Christ on a Wednesday, I can buy a quality shed or dinette set for the price of some of these pipes.
My bottom dollar is around $250ish for a pipe, maybe a little more if it really catches my eye. But any more than that is hard to justify personally.
I've pipes from artisans and large manufacturers, and the difference in the quality of performance is negligible. At a certain point you're paying for aesthetics, which is fine. But I am not paying several hundred, or thousands, of dollars for a knot of wood I can hold in my hand. I'm not a craftsman, so I can't speak to the effort and talent necessary to make these high-end pipes, but Christ on a Wednesday, I can buy a quality shed or dinette set for the price of some of these pipes.
My bottom dollar is around $250ish for a pipe, maybe a little more if it really catches my eye. But any more than that is hard to justify personally.
Im sure the pipes I feel are expensive are not "Expensive Pipes". I cant see parting with 800 or 8000 on pipes. I really dont spend much more than 200. Since most are estates my pipes that average around 150 are those in the range of 3-400 new.
I stick to that budget pretty well as like KE says, I cant justfiy it. Also, I like to buy pipes and lastly, Ive tended to be thrifty most my life. My spending habbits afforded me to leave my main job in my early 50's and work part time from home crafting saxophone mouthpieces. I grew up with the idea that most of us are indentured servants and must buy our way out of the system. Stuff is fun but and has its place but freedom is much better.
I stick to that budget pretty well as like KE says, I cant justfiy it. Also, I like to buy pipes and lastly, Ive tended to be thrifty most my life. My spending habbits afforded me to leave my main job in my early 50's and work part time from home crafting saxophone mouthpieces. I grew up with the idea that most of us are indentured servants and must buy our way out of the system. Stuff is fun but and has its place but freedom is much better.
Expensive things may not necessarily be good, but good things must be expensive.
I only smoke meerschaum pipes and I really have to agree. I have found that for some reason the smooth and plain classical looking pipes are for some reason almost always more expensive than the pipes that have a lattice or dimple carved into them. Like why is the pipe that is just a smooth bent apple 400+ but the pipe that has a beautiful flower design is 200 or sometimes less. I understand some are made by master carvers but why is a plain smooth pipe 600 or more just because 1 person carved it?
Because someone will pay that for them but they aren't always that expensive.
As I run an estate pipe shop, and have exhibited at several pipe shows, I have some first-hand observational experience on which pipes my potential customers first lay their hands. It's almost fifty-fifty between people that only check out budget pipes in the 50 to 70 euro range and others that go right away for the fine artisan pipes.
There are in fact different types. For example, some of the greatest tobacco hoarders I know spend very little on pipes, it's just not their focus. Others are avid collectors that go for brands or makers. It very much depends on the personal preference and I really like this kind of diversity. Also helps me to satisfy the needs of recurring customers.
There are in fact different types. For example, some of the greatest tobacco hoarders I know spend very little on pipes, it's just not their focus. Others are avid collectors that go for brands or makers. It very much depends on the personal preference and I really like this kind of diversity. Also helps me to satisfy the needs of recurring customers.
@Duke of Erinmore I assume Dukes pipes is also your webpage? Ive bought a couple from you. Most recently a Caminetto. Nice pipes at fair prices. I do most my shopping in Germany since I like 9mm pipes.
In regards to the theme...my pipes are not what a lot of guys here would call expensive pipes. I do have to say that lately my eyes (not my wallet) have been drawn to some really nice Bang pipes. However, Im not going to shell out the cash.
In regards to the theme...my pipes are not what a lot of guys here would call expensive pipes. I do have to say that lately my eyes (not my wallet) have been drawn to some really nice Bang pipes. However, Im not going to shell out the cash.
Its nice to find sites that aren’t just ebay flippers. Some dude listed a pipe he bought two days ago. It went for a decent deal. It was clean. Today he relisted it for double. Now it’s overpriced and I hope he is stuck with it for a year. My guess is he will be. I see overpriced pipes sitting on ebay for that long or longer.
I'd lie blatantly if I said I had never relisted a pipe I bought for a bargain price. Generally that's what merchants do
What I don't do is relist an Estate pipe without giving it another cleaning. So I make sure it's up to the standards my customers can expect.
And I daresay in most cases I come up with reasonable prices. I don't need to make a living from selling pipes, the goal is just to get those I keep for myself for free
BTW: I avoid selling at eBay altogether, I only use my webshop and Etsy.
Sometimes. But not inevitably so
The 3 pipes below are not blasted billiards, but smooth apples/tomatoes .
One cost @$35, one @$135 and the 3rd @$535
I love all 3 equally regardless of their cost.