Counterfeiting and Fakery

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In Pipes, a Mexican pipe factory made its own Savinellis without any remorse...
I don't deny that someone would do this, but really... Savinelli are not luxury pipes. So they go through all of the expense to make pipes and then make Savinelli prices on them? Savs only get like $70-!50 per pipe. Hardly seems worth the effort to me... unless they just suck at making pipes to begin with. Do they actually look like Savinellis?
 
and there are a lot o real Savinelli looking like a Common pipes
Savinelli uses a base the same stummel shapes for each of their pipes. A Savinelli guy would spot a fake in seconds. We even have some on here that can spot when Savinelli has been used by other companies for their stummels. They have distinctive shapes... but, I guess a newbie just looking for deals might fall prey.
 
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Alejo R.

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 13, 2020
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Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Savinelli uses a base the same stummel shapes for each of their pipes. A Savinelli guy would spot a fake in seconds. We even have some on here that can spot when Savinelli has been used by other companies for their stummels. They have distinctive shapes... but, I guess a newbie just looking for deals might fall prey.
I am not going to discuss what an expert can or cannot distinguish. What I can tell you is that I have Savinellis from the Shape Billiard extra line that are exactly the same as other Billiards I have. In the type of briar and the type of cut that was given to that briar as well. But the discussion is absolutely that. Imagine that you are in the 70s or 80s, in Mexico City. You can smoke even on the train, the bus and the cinema. In the city there are hundreds of tobacconists that serve hundreds of thousands of smokers of all kinds. Those smokers don't argue online about the temperature in the barn where one of several Nielsen pipe-makers ages the briar he bought from the last harvester left in Corsica. They just smoke. Now imagine that the pipes that you manufacture, which are worth 5 dollars, are transformed into 25 dollars pipes for the simple fact that you invested in a stamp that bears the name of an Italian brand. Obviously in the best tobacconists that won't happen, but in neighborhood tobacconists it will.
 
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Alejo R.

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 13, 2020
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Those things make sense to fake as you have a whole world of people who are looking to buy. Pipes don't fall in that category. Too few of us.
Not today, but decades ago yes.
There aren't many people buying mechanical watches either, the vast majority don't even know they exist and yet they are the product that started this post.....
 
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Alejo R.

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 13, 2020
996
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Buenos Aires, Argentina.
^all luxury goods in other countries. Ray-Bans are still luxury. But...

...and then you proceed to do so. What you are saying is that you don't care to read what others think. I understand. puffy
No, what I say is that I will not discuss something that you say someone can do, but that I have not seen. Simply, I give it true, making the clarification and process to explain my point of view.
 
No, what I say is that I will not discuss something that you say someone can do, but that I have not seen.
You don't think someone can spot a Savinelli billiard from other billiards? OK... If you'll stick around, we have many, many experts on pipe history, etc... We may even get another thread one day where we guess the pipe brand or maker. It's a good way to train your eye and become more aware of little details that you may have not noticed.
 

Alejo R.

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 13, 2020
996
2,140
49
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
You don't think someone can spot a Savinelli billiard from other billiards? OK... If you'll stick around, we have many, many experts on pipe history, etc... We may even get another thread one day where we guess the pipe brand or maker. It's a good way to train your eye and become more aware of little details that you may have not noticed.
I suppose that in some cases yes and in other cases no. That there is someone who can distinguish a Savinelli from any other brand without ever making a mistake, I am sure not.
But in fact that was not the subject under discussion. The issue is whether there were fake pipes and it is a fact that they existed.
Yes it is possible to train the eye. In fact I have been buying pipes myself for decades and I can spot a quality pipe in a box containing 50 pipes in seconds.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
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In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
The time to buy an umbrella, or anything really is, when you don't need or, "crave" want it. Then you aren't pressed and can due your due diligence. Let's not forget, "There's one born every minute."
I know. I highly recommend repel brand umbrellas. They have a zippo type warranty that is apparently really easy to fulfill. You're supposed to have some paper work you send them but they just needed to ask a few question to confirm we bought the thing. Oh and it has lasted for years of heavy use before needing a new one. Also they have some with pretty pictures inside the umbrella. (side note) though it illustrates one annoying thing about my girlfriend. I wanted a more high viz one for safety but she didn't want that. Guess who uses the umbrella all the time? The person that didn't pick the style.
 

Alejo R.

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 13, 2020
996
2,140
49
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Maybe a 3D printed stamp could be made, and then forged from metal in China somewhere?



I've never heard that story before. Disgruntled employees?



Could be, but I did some digging after the fact and found that a lot of these fakes come from India, where I bought mine.

Here's a shot of the front of the other one I bought, it looks like the Camy name was printed on top of a number.

6bgi30.jpg


One that I hope is legit is this older Seiko. It has some wear on it which suggests it has some age to it, but the 5 looks a bit off.

View attachment 138278

On the other hand, I'm sure I could find some pipes of mine with odd stamping, but I've never thought of them being faked.
That Seiko 5 is fake or a re do face. Seiko must be apply not painted
 
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olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,180
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The Arm of Orion
Savinelli's products are regular targets for counterfeiting. Infamous Idea Pipes was counterfeiting Sav pipes.

Another Chinese entity has been selling clones of Savinelli pouches on Aliexpress for years now, at a fraction of the price.

Not rare, even for a niche market like pipe smoking.
 

Streeper541

Lifer
Jun 16, 2021
3,194
20,247
44
Spencer, OH
Any serviceman who's been overseas, especially in the Southeastern Asian area, can tell you where to find very good high quality counterfeits for just about any product you'd like. The copyright and trademark laws are far less stringent in the is in that part of the world... It probably doesn't help that they make most of our stuff too.

I bought a hand tailored suit one time in the Philippines for $50 American. The dude measured me and made the suit right in front of my very eyes. The tailor offered to put whatever label I wanted on the inside inside; Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Armani, whatever. He had them all.

You can find a lot of similar products available on eBay.
 
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