Bit new and I am wondering if I got a good deal or not

[xavkitsune]

here is a lot from an estate sale on ebay, and I was wondering if, from this image, some one here could tell me if they recognize the make/brand of the straight pipes and whether or not the "Calabash" is a real calabash, I'll know more and have more images when I recieve the pipes from the mail but until then this is all I have.

 

[papipeguy]

Pretty nice group and they appear to be in wonderful condition. That calabash is nice and sure looks like a real gourd to me. It may be a Pioneer ( I have one just like it. The other experts here can better tell you about the briars, and I'm sure they will chime in.

 

[xavkitsune]

that is great, the guy guy I bought these from had said that the whit cap in the 'bash is removable and from what little knowledge of them I have if the inside is "fuzzy" then it is likely a real gourd. as for the res the only one I know for sure what the make is is the cob, being Missouri meerschaum.

 

[philobeddoe]

The calabash looks real to me, hell it looks like the big apple is even unsmoked. I don't know what you paid, but the pipes look good.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Nice haul! What did it cost? Make of the unsmoked apple?

 

[blendtobac]

I agree with papipeguy about the calabash. The black piece that contains the mortise and the design of the stem is a pretty sure giveaway that it's a Pioneer. I also own one.
Russ

 

[Chasing Embers]

The top pipe appears to have a replacement stem, and I too agree, that's a Pioneer calabash. I have one as well.

 

[mso489]

These look like good pipes in fine condition. Any stamps on the briars? How good a deal depends on how much you paid, but it sounds as if you did okay.

 

[xavkitsune]

I won't know more until I have the pipes in person but I had the seller snap this before he shipped them out. I paid 160$ usd for the lot which came to just under 200$ canadian. that is including shipping.

 

[xavkitsune]

the calabash is real, the smallest pipe was presmoked as there is cake and tobacco remnants, otherwise great.

 

[rigmedic1]

Those gourd Calabash pipes in good condition can be pricey. So even if all the others were only worth 10 bucks each, you made out pretty well. You will be amazed how well a gourd calabash smokes. I, too, have a Pioneer calabash, and I love the thing.

 

[craiginthecorn]

Since it was a Canadian auction, I'm going to guess that the dark pipe at the top is a Brigham two dot, which is a nicely made pipe that uses unique hard maple filter tubes which work well, by most reports. The large apple or billiard may well be a Lorenzo. They specialized in large pipes with thick walls and that color was common for their pipes. Lorenzo is another well-made pipe. There seems little doubt that the Calabash is a genuine gourd with a meerschaum bowl. It looks to be in fine shape and I doubt it has been smoked much, based on the lack of darkening of the gourd. I agree that it is likely Pioneer, which made good block meerschaum pipes. Most Calabash bowls are not made from block meerschaum, but instead with a sort of meerschaum plaster which is molded. Looks like a nice set of well cared for pipes and I think the price was fair.

 

[xavkitsune]

the guy I bought the pipes from is from New Jersey, I am Canadian, but yeah. And medic, the meerschaum is a bit yellow-brown in person, the flash made it look lighter. the grey in the bowl was because I couldn't help myself and had a smoke on the way back from the post office.

 

[mso489]

Averaging about $27 a pipe, I think it is, so not a great deal on the cob, probably good for some or all of the briars, and excellent for the Calabash.

 

[xavkitsune]

looked at the meerschaum and found 4 cracks on the part of the bowl that is inside the gourd, was that from smoking too hot or what?

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Define or show "cracks" if you would.

 

[xavkitsune]

don't have a good enough camera, but starting from the draw hole the side of the meerschaum bowl that is inside the gourd, four thin cracks

and

 

[xavkitsune]

no one?

 

[xavkitsune]

so what do I do about the cracks, do I send it in for repairs or find a new bowl?

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Did the seller disclose that the calabash had cracks in the pipe? You might want to contact the seller about it. Some seller's will give partial refunds. I'm not sure how one would fix a crack in a meerschaum pipe. You could try smoking it and see what happens, but I would wait until after contacting the seller about the issue.