Dunhill drops price.

[drsam]

In the January 15th 1934 issue of "Tobacco World" magazine, Dunhill annnounced that as of 1 Feb 1934

The price of Dunhill pipes were dropping to $7.50 retail from their normal price of $10.00.
Now if Grandad had invested in several gross of Dunhills and stored them in the attic.
Kinda hurts don't it.

 

[crpntr1]

With this information I'm making an official offer..Ill pay, anyone having a 1934 dunhill, 3x its (original) market value.

 

[throwryuken]

Thanks for stopping my heart when I read the title.

 

[photoman13]

ha ha. I would have bought a few pipes and a bunch of comics!

 

[photoman13]

1+ throwryuken

 

[ssjones]

I was thinking that maybe $7 in 1934 didn't buy much, but using an inflation calculator (not sure of it's accuracy), it says:

$7.00 in 1934 had the same buying power as $119.67 in 2012.
Annual inflation over this period was 3.71%.
So, $7 would have been wise investment as those unsmoked beauties would get $400+ on Ebay today...

 

[mlaug]

If your family was like mine in the 1930s....no one had enough cash to by a gross of anything, let alone speculate on pipes.
I wonder if the price drop was a reflection of the broader market decline in the mid-1930s?

 

[stogie37]

Hmmm... What are today's Dunhills? :puffpipe:

 

[terry]

As you know hindsite is 20/20 ::

 

[barkar]

Yes...Depression years or as they were called the "dirty thirties" as said above not many people had money to spend on pipes.

 

[mp31guitar]

I thought I was finally going to get one. :crying:

 

[ssjones]

In my original post, I was just surprised that the rate of inflation wasn't higher. The accuracy of the web "Inflatino Calcualtor" might have been suspect, as I added to my post.
In 1934 my family were coal miners in Scranton, PA. I suspect getting an extra loaf of bread was cause for celebration.
I guess in 60 years, a $400 Dunhill will seem like a steal and wise investment, but I don't see many of us hoarding Dunhill pipes for our ancestors to resell...

 

[topd]

Even considering inflation it's hard to swallow that I just paid close to $500 American for a pipe that went for $10 in '32. But that's the way it is. My son just sold a fully restored 1964 1/2 Mustang for $30,000. My Dad bought one in '65 for my Mom... He paid $2300. The 4 bedroom house we had in Sanford, Florida during that time was $8600.

 

[scotrob]

Dunhill prices are crazy...i'm selling one on ebay right now, an inner tube patent 5861/12 from period 1926-34....price is already at US $245 with several hours left to run....i'm not complaining of course, but is any pipe really worth that much?

 

[lordnoble]

but is any pipe really worth that much?

scotrob,

since it's capitalism, in a word, yes. The price will go to what the market will bear. Someone out there feels that it is worth at least that much, otherwise they wouldn't buy it.

If you mean by just materials? No. I think we overpay for all of our pipes. I'm sure it doesn't cost Kaywoodie anywhere near $30 to manufacture their pipes. But we pay for the workmanship on our higher-priced pipes. I'm sure Alex Florov slaves over his pipes as only an artist can and therefore can demand the price he does.
Back to drsam... When I make my time machine, I'll be bringing back lots of stuff to sell. Not just Dunhills, but tobaccos, lamps, furniture, coins, stamps, comics; you get the idea...
-Jason

 

[lazydog]

I had an old Dunhill as a youngster. Snapped the stem twice, had it repaired. 3rd time I snapped it, I threw it away.

 

[ssjones]

Dunhill prices are crazy...i'm selling one on ebay right now, an inner tube patent 5861/12 from period 1926-34....price is already at US $245 with several hours left to run....i'm not complaining of course, but is any pipe really worth that much?

No way, buying an old Dunhill is indeed a waste of money..............kidding.

There are probably 10 threads here and on almost every pipe forum asking "are Dunhills worth it?" with strong running emotions in either direction.
If a $7 1934 pipe is now worth the equivalent of $119 2012 dollars, but sells for $300-$400, history tends to say "yes they are worth it" from purely a financial viewpoint.