Castello Designation Question

[jaygreen55]

I just won an unsmoked Castello Collection Oom Paul on Ebay from Chance at Great Estate Pipes.
It's got an LOB stamp (Legendary Old Briar), Can anyone tell me what that means?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I just won an unsmoked Castello Collection Oom Paul on Ebay from Chance at Great Estate Pipes.
It's got an LOB stamp (Legendary Old Briar), Can anyone tell me what that means?

View attachment 53508

From SPC

" "LOB" or Legendary Old Briar corresponds to an extremely low-production run of Castello pipes, using exceptionally choice blocks of briar that have been aged for decades. The results are nothing short of extraordinary, whether they're executed as classic Castello shape chart designs or more eccentric briars such as this bent Dublin. Strongly tapered from rim to heel, agile and graceful in transition, and comparatively stout and gestural in the downward curve to the oval shank and stem, this is one unique Castello design — finished in the virgin sandblast of the Old Antiquari line, with tightly stacked growth rings undulating up from the base. This is one collectors will want to watch out for."

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

A few years back, Castello purchased a private collection and stamped the pipes LOB for resale. The SPC write up is hype.

 

[Pallidan]

Congratulations

 

[Sonorisis]

Snazzy Pipe!!!!!!!

 

[tfdickson]

Awesome pipe! I’m a big Castello fan and I had that one on my watch list.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Several of the LOB Castellos I have seen feature spiral carving. That 97 is a spectacular pipe. And you got it at a very good price, over $100 less than one would cost at an Italian shop, almost $400 less than US MSRP.

Enjoy!

 

[jaygreen55]

I actually was very surprised that I got it at the price I bid. My Ebay strategy is to bid the most I'm willing to spend and then not look again until the auction is over so as not to get into a bidding war which is as much about testosterone as the actual value of the pipe. Sometimes I get it for less than my max bid and sometimes I make the next guy pay a big price. In this case I got a really good deal relative to what sites like SP.com and other retailers ask for similar pipes

What got me about this pipe is the spectacular straight grain. I'm a sucker for it

 

[tfdickson]

I actually was very surprised that I got it at the price I bid. My Ebay strategy is to bid the most I'm willing to spend and then not look again until the auction is over so as not to get into a bidding war which is as much about testosterone as the actual value of the pipe. Sometimes I get it for less than my max bid and sometimes I make the next guy pay a big price. In this case I got a really good deal relative to what sites like SP.com and other retailers ask for similar pipes

What got me about this pipe is the spectacular straight grain. I'm a sucker for it

I think your eBay strategy is right on. My approach with Ebay is only to buy pipes I really want and am willing to pay full price for. It seems like everyone else expects a discount with eBay so that gives me an advantage so long as I’m after the pipe and not a deal. I got this one from the same seller a couple of weeks ago, and I was happy with the price:

 

[jaygreen55]

Sometimes you can get a real bargain too I've been on bit of a pandemic PAD binge lately and picked up this
winner last week for a grand total of $76 plus tax and shipping. I had placed a max bid of 150, It's an unsmoked E. Wilke from no later than the early 80s that I would put up with anything produced today. A really sweet piece of well aged briar

 

[kcghost]

It's a beautiful pipe!!

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

I think your eBay strategy is right on. My approach with Ebay is only to buy pipes I really want and am willing to pay full price for. It seems like everyone else expects a discount with eBay so that gives me an advantage so long as I’m after the pipe and not a deal. I got this one from the same seller a couple of weeks ago, and I was happy with the price:

View attachment 53580

A gorgeous pipe. A friend was watching it. I told him it would likely go in the $500 range. I think he might have been an under bidder at something between $400-450. You got a deal on a very nice pipe. About $200 less than Italian retail.