Confused By Estate Pipe Purchase

[durham270]

Yes, I bought another pipe. I'm sure my better half is ready to put arsenic in my coffee by now! Anyway, I've had a few BBB pipes in the past but sold them. I bought this pipe not knowing much about the model other than it being a BBB made pipe. This is my BBB 'Own Make" Thorneycraft 506 Canadian. So, are these suppose to be highly collectable? I've seen a few where people are asking over $100.00 for them. I know it's only if someone is willing to pay that, right? Well, I didn't pay anywhere close to that if this is one of those highly collectable pipes.
Here is my estate BBB 'Own Make" Thorneycraft #506 Canadian with Silver Diamond Inlaid Logo.

 

[petes03]

I don't know anything about it Durham, sorry, but it's a wonderful looking pipe! Oh, and I'm in the same boat with you! Although, my wife would probably go for a slower death with something like antifreeze!

 

[shayde]

It is a gorgeous pipe, unfortunately I don't know what it's worth.

 

[voorhees]

I have an "Own Make" BBB Thorneycraft. See pipe in picture. I love it and it smokes well. Paid less than twenty for it.

 

[sablebrush52]

BBB is one of the oldest of the British pipemakers with a long history going back to 1856. They are collectable, though not at the prices set by some other British makes. If you want to know more about the pipe and its history, check out this page on Pipedia:

http://pipedia.org/wiki/BBB
As far as trying to establish a valuation using ebay:
Go to the pipes section on ebay and type in BBB in the search window. Click on "advanced" just to the right to the search button. Check "completed listings" and click on search. You will see what these bring in auction and can view any of the completed auctions to get an idea based on condition, age, etc.
Your pipe looks like it's in excellent condition. Congratulations on a nice addition!

 

[pruss]

That's a lovely Canadian Durham. I don't have more to add on BBB as a factory/brand than has been shared already. But I had an "Own Make" Thorneycroft pot with the brass diamond on the stem come through my Pipe Cave. I don't see them routinely selling for high $. I believe the one I moved sold through at $40.
Enjoy your new burner, pal.
-- Pat

 

[phred]

I count myself fortunate that my spouse still smiles indulgently when I admit to having purchased another pipe... :D
Lovely example, Durham - and it interesting to see how my own tastes have changed in just a year. I didn't much care for straight billiards or rustication when I started looking at pipes, but I've grown to appreciate them. Thanks for sharing!

 

[kashmir]

Congrats. Nice pipe. Here's another one just like yours in eBay.
End time: Dec 20, 2013 7:44:27 PM
Item: BBB OWN MAKE THORNEYCROFT 506 Canadian Pipe ELEGANT & RARE Original Felt Sleeve
URL: http://pages.ebay.com/link/? nav=item.view&id=331070330163
Alt URL: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BBB-OWN-MAKE-THORNEYCROFT-506-Canadian-Pipe-ELEGANT-RARE-Original-Felt-Sleeve-/331070330163

 

[misterlowercase]

sablebrush52 gives some great advice.
The early BBB's are highly collectible,

like these:

Antique BBB "Handy" Cavalier Pipe in CustomCase Silver Army Mount Straight Grain

&

Vintage BBB Own Make 6117 Cutty Pipe Unsmoked 1920s Bruyere Finish Featherweight
Neill Archer Roan has a great post about a duo of his BBB's,

http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2010/11/23/two-great-war-vintage-pipes-from-bbb-britains-best-briars.html
The writer Jacques Cole has a historical piece, although it covers most of the same ground as the Pipedia entry, it's still worth reading...

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/action/document/page?tid=xhj30g00
Several months ago I began collecting the old Britbriar, with a focus on blasted billiards and variants thereof and I have so far gotten myself a trio of Thorneycrofts. Each one has a different nomenclature style, one like yours, one with the big E made in but with the shape number stamped on the stem, and one with the more generic London.England. stamp...
...from what I understand, the Thorneycroft line came out in the mid 50's or thereabouts, I wish I knew the chronology of the stampings, but I'd guess the big E ones are the earliest?
I've been enjoying mine greatly, but I will offer some critique based on the several pipes I've experienced...
- the handcarved rustication on the shank isn't the best, at worst it can look sloppy, I've seen photos of some pipes that are poorly matched as far as "grain matching" goes and it spoils the aesthetic balance of an otherwise fine-looking pipe.
- the blasts moreso tend to be mediocre and shallow, at least on many of the examples I've seen in photographs, very rarely will you see one with an excellent blast quality, like this one:

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/peterson/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=52449

I have a 636 with a rather gnarly blast, not to everyones tastes, but I find such examples to be interesting, visually I would like it much more if the shank rustication had been better executed, at places it's nearly smooth on the shank, also the box I have is the wrong color, it should be orange, the Thorneycroft came in an orange box...

- all 3 of the pipes I own have somewhat thin bowl thickness.
- the brass BBB diamond inlay is off-center more often than not.
- the bit is slightly chunky.
They are good pipes though and mine have served me well. I'm still looking for a few more to add to the stable, especially a 667, nice examples of the Thorneycroft line pop up infrequently compared to other marques, at least since I've been looking these last several months.
Congrats on your example, it looks fine indeed, although I dunno why they chose to stamp the top of the shank which sort of looks odd, but you got a sock too and that's very cool!

 

[jkenp]

I dunno why they chose to stamp the top of the shank which sort of looks odd

About the only place to put them with oval stems.

 

[durham270]

Congrats. Nice pipe. Here's another one just like yours in eBay.

kashmir, that's my pipe, lol

 

[durham270]

misterlowercase, thanks for all that information. Enjoying it tremendously!

 

[durham270]

I dunno why they chose to stamp the top of the shank which sort of looks odd
About the only place to put them with oval stems.

These are stamped on both top and bottom of shanks.

 

[kashmir]

I'm a bit confused. The pipe is still for sale on eBay with a BIN price of $75. I'm somewhat interested in buying it. But your thread states you've already bought the pipe. Are you selling the pipe on ebay? The seller is also called Durham. Just curious. Thanks.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Great looking pipe! Congrats! I'm not familiar with the brand, but I really like the looks of it. I have the opposite problem with my wife though. I have to watch her to keep her from spending too much on pipes on ebay!

 

[mso489]

I'd avoid the trap of thinking that every pipe with some distinctive features is a collector's item. You

might trip into something, like examining the change in your pockets for rare coins, but mostly not.

I had an interesting house pipe with an "L.L. Bean, Freeport Maine" stamp on it, which I thought was

awfully unique. It was interesting as a piece of Americana, but not a money maker. Few pipes are.

 

[durham270]

kashmir, yes it's my auction.

 

[kashmir]

Thanks for clearing that up. Now if I can only winkle out the $75 I might spring for it. Lovely pipe.