Damn you eBay PAD

[cmdrmcbragg]

I shouldn't have done it. I knew better. I just HAD to type "estate pipe" into the eBay search bar and now my bank account is a bit lighter.
First it was a Larsen & Stigart Champ freehand ... and as I was cooking dinner a calabash was won.
The calabash I won't make an excuse for, I needed one of these giant ridiculous looking pipes and have been after one since I started on the pipe a year ago. The stem is going to need some tlc for sure, heavily oxidized, but otherwise it looks to be in great shape. The freehand though, it just looked nice and having the Erik Karl association said "buy me" because there is obviously a very limited supply of his work since he isn't kicking around any longer to make anything.
Great price on the two (spent under $100 for both), now I need to start checking my closet, phone and wallet for the PAD monster because it came back.

 

[wilson]

Well, if you came here expecting to be admonished for spending money foolishly, you've come to the wrong place. Both sound like great acquisitions. Post some pics, especially after you've cleaned them up, and I hope they both smoke great for you.

 

[deathandtaxes]

Congratulations on the new pipes! I had bid on the Larsen, and had the calabash on my watch list but didn't pull the trigger. I'm scared of buying a calabash as it would be my first experience with meer. Hope they are both magical!

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I wasn't expecting to be admonished, most here are prime candidates for some sort of 12-step program if there were one for pipe smokers.
Yeah, I'll eventually get pics up once they show in the mail and I have time to clean up the calabash. The L&S has been cleaned already.
@deathandtaxes, this will be my first experience with meer as well. I had to have it because they never go for what I bought it at. Luckily the seller didn't have calabash listed in the title. I think that helped.

 

[deathandtaxes]

Was it the one listed as "Deco"?

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

It was.

 

[deathandtaxes]

It's super that it came with that desk holder as well. Excellent deal especially if it smokes well.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Yeah, it looks fine based on the pictures. The only remaining issue it could probably hold is a bad seal around the meer bowl.

 

[tuold]

The monster affects us all in unique ways.
I keep telling myself not to even look at my ebay feed until the the last won pipe gets here. However, I always succumb to the temptation and peek. Then I'll see some 60 year old pipe there in an auction ending in 2 minutes with no bids looking forlorn and unwanted. I put in my bid. two minutes later it's mine.
If it weren't the PAD afflicted a lot these pipes might not ever find a good home. Now they've been brought into the clan of those who appreciate them. We must get some karmic credit for this.

 

[owen]

I too scared to even look bought 7 pipes last week in a frenzy as nobody else wanted them and I felt sorry for them. Those poor lonely unloved pipes.( there was a reason they were).

 

[tuold]

And you...you are an enabler!
Yes, sadly, enabler and victim in one pathetic example. :crying:

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

So we all basically run foster homes, just bringing in unwanted briar that needs a loving home and some warmth in them. Or is eBay just a pipe shelter where one can pay a fee to adopt a pipe?

 

[tuold]

owen wrote:

Those poor lonely unloved pipes.( there was a reason they were).

The truth is, a lot times the sellers don't know what they are listing and tend to misspell or misidentify the pipe. Since most pipe hunters search by name they miss a lot of these listings. And yeah, it's also true that most aren't interested in the same pipes I am. It's all good for me.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

The person selling the calabash had it advertised as "Deco pipe and stand" not once was the word "calabash" mentioned in the listing. Bully for me.

 

[owen]

Yes I bought a pipe sold as a Jean Lamy, which meant nothing to me, but I liked the pipe on reciept the stem says camy and the shank says pollux so a bit of a stray dog which I have adopted. I had foolishly saved the auction only part of ebays pipe page so everytime I put it on there was another pipe with only minutes left and no bidders so I kept jumping in and getting them for minimum bid.

 

[masonwarden]

It's funny how so many of us can relate to this - it seems sometimes that you lose the auction, and then think "maybe I should've bid a little more - it was worth it", or you win the auction, and then think "perhaps I spent too much!"

Oh well

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I wasn't worried about spending too much this time. I got a killer deal on the calabash despite the work needed on the stem (oxidization and plenty of tooth chatter).
Nothing an oxyclean soak, magic eraser, a set of micro mesh pads and some Obsidian can't take care of.

 

[whiterabbit]

I bought all mine through eBay. Well except for that cob, but whatever..