Collecting Pipes –' To smoke or not to smoke?'
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I know that if I had 400 pipes I wouldn't smoke them all! It would be way too much work for me to keep track of which one is at what point in the rotation. In fact, I can hardly keep up with my 4 (soon to be 5!) pipes, one of which is unfortunately unsmokable. Mayhap I'm organizationally stupid.
Regardless of my ramblings, your collection is astounding, and beautiful. And if I ever have a beauty of a Peterson pulled from beneath my feet on eBay I'll know who to blame! But I won't be able to blame, really, because I'll know the care and devotion going to the bugger.
Regardless of my ramblings, your collection is astounding, and beautiful. And if I ever have a beauty of a Peterson pulled from beneath my feet on eBay I'll know who to blame! But I won't be able to blame, really, because I'll know the care and devotion going to the bugger.
My collection is slowly building, but not to the same level as Jim's. However, I do agree with him. Some of my pipes I just love to look at and I sometimes sit back and think 'what would that pipe smoke like'? But then never do.
All my pipes have been bought as estates, and it is not until I rub away the dirt that I am sometimes pleasently rewarded with a real gem.
Then comes the often very hard decision whether or not to sell it on, smoke it or put it into the 'pedestal group'.
All I can say is 'whatever makes you happy' because, for the time being, you are (as Jim puts it) the custodian, and the choice is entirely yours.
My example is a Dunhill that I very recently picked up as part of a lot of 11 estate pipes. I was overjoyed to find it, but after cleaning it up I realised that I'd never smoke it and as aesthetics go, it was not really a pipe I could see myself smoking either. So, it is now on sale and, with the money I make from it, maybe I'll pick up another gem that will be more pleasing to my eye and I'll want to smoke (A Peterson silver spigot he says hopefully).
All my pipes have been bought as estates, and it is not until I rub away the dirt that I am sometimes pleasently rewarded with a real gem.
Then comes the often very hard decision whether or not to sell it on, smoke it or put it into the 'pedestal group'.
All I can say is 'whatever makes you happy' because, for the time being, you are (as Jim puts it) the custodian, and the choice is entirely yours.
My example is a Dunhill that I very recently picked up as part of a lot of 11 estate pipes. I was overjoyed to find it, but after cleaning it up I realised that I'd never smoke it and as aesthetics go, it was not really a pipe I could see myself smoking either. So, it is now on sale and, with the money I make from it, maybe I'll pick up another gem that will be more pleasing to my eye and I'll want to smoke (A Peterson silver spigot he says hopefully).
Juni- thank you for your kind comments in regard to my blog,much appreciated.
Re the Writers collection.The jury is still out with me,I was not very impressed when they introduced the collection.Usually the shapes will sing to me and light my fire toward purchase.Remarkably I have not had that reaction.Coupled to the price,I would always go for the smooth finish in collections.These are currently retailing at approx. $800 to $1000.In terms of my current purchasing strategy they are low down the scale.
This still does not detract from the fact that they are handsome pipes and will be desirable to some.
Regards
Jim
Re the Writers collection.The jury is still out with me,I was not very impressed when they introduced the collection.Usually the shapes will sing to me and light my fire toward purchase.Remarkably I have not had that reaction.Coupled to the price,I would always go for the smooth finish in collections.These are currently retailing at approx. $800 to $1000.In terms of my current purchasing strategy they are low down the scale.
This still does not detract from the fact that they are handsome pipes and will be desirable to some.
Regards
Jim
As an 'experienced collector' I would offer the following in answer to your question.To the best of my knowledge this series of completely new shapes, is being sold as a collection,not individually,as decreed by Peterson.
That's odd. Kevin, your fired ... again.
I sent the following message a couple of days ago:
I sent the following message a couple of days ago:
Anyway, the price is now at $99.00 with 10 hours to go.
Hi William,
Glad we got that sorted out eventually.
Because the pipe in question is a fine example of the top of the range Supreme you will need o go much higher than the current price of $99.00.
I would guess that it will end up going around $150 - $200.I would be very surprised if it went for less.
Hope that helps and good luck with your bid.
Glad we got that sorted out eventually.
Because the pipe in question is a fine example of the top of the range Supreme you will need o go much higher than the current price of $99.00.
I would guess that it will end up going around $150 - $200.I would be very surprised if it went for less.
Hope that helps and good luck with your bid.
Thank you sandpiper. I had no idea the pipe would be in that range and will have to decide if now is the time.
I've looked through much of your collection, and while it was very difficult to pick from so many, I wanted to mention the ones that struck my fancy.
1950 unsmoked London made 440 premier (Wow! that's nice).
Tray of Higher grade Peterson Pipes are just fantastic.
The whole lot of the Great Explorer series.
The Premier in the Darwin Series Rotation has a beautiful color wood grain.
The Royal Irish XL90
tmp75e8217a (it didn't have a name)
Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
William
I've looked through much of your collection, and while it was very difficult to pick from so many, I wanted to mention the ones that struck my fancy.
1950 unsmoked London made 440 premier (Wow! that's nice).
Tray of Higher grade Peterson Pipes are just fantastic.
The whole lot of the Great Explorer series.
The Premier in the Darwin Series Rotation has a beautiful color wood grain.
The Royal Irish XL90
tmp75e8217a (it didn't have a name)
Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
William
I've been following this with some interest to see how this might compare to another interest of mine. Besides Danish freehand pipes, I also collect military firearms.
In that world, we draw a distinction between "shooters" and "collectors", much the same would apply here I think..."smokers" and "collectors".
In the collecting world, nothing is as important as original condition. It would be unthinkable to take a perfectly unused item ( pipe or firearm ) and treat it like a commonly found object. As time passes, the unused pristine examples become fewer and fewer.
To stay within the scope of this forum, I love Preben Holm made pipes. He made lots of 'em. Lots of 'em got used, but some didn't. He isn't making them anymore, so to run across a perfectly new, unsmoked Preben Holm...just as you could have purchased in the 1970s..is rare. They get priced accordingly. The value moves beyond what it represents merely as a smoking pipe as it becomes more of an iconic symbol of a time period or specific carver.
So, one buys the rare piece and keeps watch over it as the custodian of its history.
In that world, we draw a distinction between "shooters" and "collectors", much the same would apply here I think..."smokers" and "collectors".
In the collecting world, nothing is as important as original condition. It would be unthinkable to take a perfectly unused item ( pipe or firearm ) and treat it like a commonly found object. As time passes, the unused pristine examples become fewer and fewer.
To stay within the scope of this forum, I love Preben Holm made pipes. He made lots of 'em. Lots of 'em got used, but some didn't. He isn't making them anymore, so to run across a perfectly new, unsmoked Preben Holm...just as you could have purchased in the 1970s..is rare. They get priced accordingly. The value moves beyond what it represents merely as a smoking pipe as it becomes more of an iconic symbol of a time period or specific carver.
So, one buys the rare piece and keeps watch over it as the custodian of its history.
Yeah I have a much healthier collection of firearms than I do pipes. I personally dont see the point of buying a gun and never shooting it. That being said I have more guns than I can afford to shoot and I have one that was given to me in brand new condition that has some collector value and I dont intend to shoot it either. So for me its a case by case basis so the same would be for my pipes.
I would point to you four main pipesmokers' categories:
1) True pipesmoker
2) Smoker-collector
3) Collector-smoker
4) Collector
The true pipesmoker only buys the pipes that he need to enjoy his smoking hobby. Of course ha smokes all his pipes.
The smoker-collector is already PAD infected. Usually smokes all his pipes, and buys them taking into account their future use.
The collector-smoker still try to smoke all his pipes, but occasionally can buy some pipe he knows don't suit his smoking preferences, only to have it in his collection, or a special one he feels has to be preserved in pristine condition...
Finally, the true collector can smoke, or can be a non smoker man. He loves pipes as collection items, maybe as an investment. His collection is a museum, his pipes are artworks or archaeological pieces. If he is a pipesmoker, then is going to smoke only the pipes that he feels not really belonging to his collection.
I consider myself as smoker-collector. I have some pipes still unsmoked, but they all were bought for smoking, and they all will be smoked.
1) True pipesmoker
2) Smoker-collector
3) Collector-smoker
4) Collector
The true pipesmoker only buys the pipes that he need to enjoy his smoking hobby. Of course ha smokes all his pipes.
The smoker-collector is already PAD infected. Usually smokes all his pipes, and buys them taking into account their future use.
The collector-smoker still try to smoke all his pipes, but occasionally can buy some pipe he knows don't suit his smoking preferences, only to have it in his collection, or a special one he feels has to be preserved in pristine condition...
Finally, the true collector can smoke, or can be a non smoker man. He loves pipes as collection items, maybe as an investment. His collection is a museum, his pipes are artworks or archaeological pieces. If he is a pipesmoker, then is going to smoke only the pipes that he feels not really belonging to his collection.
I consider myself as smoker-collector. I have some pipes still unsmoked, but they all were bought for smoking, and they all will be smoked.
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