I have grabbed dozens of really nice Castellos and a few other Italian brands, new and estate, from eBay at much better prices than I could get from an estate dealer. I usually see two or three a month that I consider top notch and bid generously. If the pictures and descriptions aren't enough, I ask questions. I use Auction Sniper and set my maximum bid using completed auction records and where that data is lacking, the prices I can glean from estate dealers. I probably average winning two thirds of the pipes I bid on and I am almost never pushed to my maximum bid on those. The key, for me, is knowing what a really first rate example of a pipe I am interested in looks like, and I can draw on looking at hundreds of examples that I saw in hand back in the days (pre 2000) when I regularly attended pipe shows. I don't expect to get quality at a bargain price, but I very frequently do. I am rarely disappointed. Since I am no longer physically able to attend pipe shows, eBay is the number one source of pipes available to me at prices I can afford. And Auction Sniper is a huge convenience. I set the price days in advance of the closing and I don't have to be on line at the end of the auction. (I have friends who use eSnipe with good results). I also buy new and estate pieces elsewhere, including many forum sponsors, but with estates I feel I am paying a premium for their knowledge in screening their merchandise, a service I don't need.
Ebay $&@!?
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Lots of wisdom here. Thanks to all of you for your input. More encouraged to keep trying. I like the idea of coming to terms with my own max bid in advance and letting that be the deciding factor.
I actually enjoy the auction process, in general. I haven’t bought pipes using that method for quite awhile, though. Mainly because I have all the pipes I need, and then some. Of course, the key to finding a great bargain with anything is being able to spot value that others don’t recognize at that particular moment. It’s easy to ‘win’ if you pay twice what something is worth. Buying it at half the general market price is a whole different matter. The key is to keep plugging along. The guy who outbid you last week may not be watching this week after he’s already scratched his itch, - when another one comes up for sale.
I have done very well on ebay over the years. I have a system where I will put my high bid in a day or two before the auction ends and let it ride. I never use a program or try to snipe at the end. I know what pipes are worth and what they should go for as I pay attention to previous auctions. I refuse to overpay and to fall in love with any given pipe. If you treat them like just another piece of briar, you can do well.
When you can find auctions that fewer people are watching, the better the chance. I've found a few where a seller made a mistake and had an auction close in the middle of the night. OR during holidays. Sometimes people must aren't watching a particular item. I bought a pristine Andreas Bauer meerschaum pipe for $30 because the seller didn't list it as AB. Some will misspell a brand name so it won't pop up on searches.
Be patient and don't overpay. Be sure to review the "sold items" for your pipe so you know what the going rate is. I have also found the ebay app much more reliable on my phone for last second bidding.
Be patient and don't overpay. Be sure to review the "sold items" for your pipe so you know what the going rate is. I have also found the ebay app much more reliable on my phone for last second bidding.
A good time to buy is right after the Holidays. People are paying down expenses, there are less bidders, and the bids are lower. Conversely, it's a lousy time to be a seller.
I buy most of my pipes on eBay. That stated, I never bid on them with more than 30 seconds left in the auction.
With the exception of one of these Hinged Lids, I've gotten all of them on eBay, at very reasonable prices. The Hinged Lids are becoming harder to get, but I still find them on there, and actually just got a Peterson 03 HL at an amazing price, from eBay.
With the exception of one of these Hinged Lids, I've gotten all of them on eBay, at very reasonable prices. The Hinged Lids are becoming harder to get, but I still find them on there, and actually just got a Peterson 03 HL at an amazing price, from eBay.
I've bought many pipes on ebay, and like others I set a limit I'm willing to pay for that particular pipe. Once I determine what I'm willing to spend on a pipe I will usually wait until the last minute to bid. If I get out bid then so be it. I move on to the next at that point.
Several years ago a forum member asked what one should do with a pipe that fell in the toilet.
Ever since, I've avoided estate pipes.
Ever since, I've avoided estate pipes.
Two examples of how erratic Ebay can be:
This GBD 9438 was a lower end finish (Seventy-Six) and made in the later years of the pre-Cadogan era. It was restored, and sold by a big pipe reseller, so it over achieved, with 23 bids.(in my opinion)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCELLENT-VINTAGE-GBD-SEVENTY-SIX-BENT-CHUBBY-RHODESIAN-ENGLISH-Estate-Pipe-/202478744055?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
This GBD 549 Bulldog (a desired shape) and in Virgin grade only brought $29 (1 bid), sold by a no-name seller and needed restoration. I was busy last night and asleep at the wheel when this ended. (maybe I do need Auction Sniper!)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GBD-VIRGIN-ESTATE-PIPE-LONDON-ENGLAND-549-/173606253990?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
Edit: Updated the URL for the 9438
This GBD 9438 was a lower end finish (Seventy-Six) and made in the later years of the pre-Cadogan era. It was restored, and sold by a big pipe reseller, so it over achieved, with 23 bids.(in my opinion)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCELLENT-VINTAGE-GBD-SEVENTY-SIX-BENT-CHUBBY-RHODESIAN-ENGLISH-Estate-Pipe-/202478744055?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
This GBD 549 Bulldog (a desired shape) and in Virgin grade only brought $29 (1 bid), sold by a no-name seller and needed restoration. I was busy last night and asleep at the wheel when this ended. (maybe I do need Auction Sniper!)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GBD-VIRGIN-ESTATE-PIPE-LONDON-ENGLAND-549-/173606253990?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
Edit: Updated the URL for the 9438
Sorry Al, that's the same link!
I just type in the most I'd pay for whatever thingamabob, and let ebay figure it out. There is no need for a sniping program if you take the emotion out of bidding for something.
I just type in the most I'd pay for whatever thingamabob, and let ebay figure it out. There is no need for a sniping program if you take the emotion out of bidding for something.
There's no point grumbling over losing in the last couple of seconds. It's not when you bid, but how much. If you bid the maximum you were willing to pay and lost, it's disappointing, but move on. If you bid less than you were willing to pay, then you have only yourself to blame.
I regularly use a bidding service which places my maximum bid three seconds before the end of the auction. There are two advantages. First, I set it and forget it. If I win, great. If not, oh well. I don't get sucked into the bidding vortex where bidding can get irrational. Second, since my bid is placed so late, my bid doesn't contribute to someone else's irrational bidding, which might help keep the price lower.
I regularly use a bidding service which places my maximum bid three seconds before the end of the auction. There are two advantages. First, I set it and forget it. If I win, great. If not, oh well. I don't get sucked into the bidding vortex where bidding can get irrational. Second, since my bid is placed so late, my bid doesn't contribute to someone else's irrational bidding, which might help keep the price lower.
What bugs me about EBAY these days is the pricing. It is not EBAY's fault, of course, but the prices being asked for pipes are insane. I am referring to the bottom end of the pipe spectrum. $22.00 meerschaums are being touted for $200.00, etc. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I once picked up a 1904 Peterson bulldog for about $35.00. I guess that those days are behind us. Yes, that one was an extreme bit of good fortune, but it seems that such bargains are completely unavailable today...
Agree...I collect Audio gear and this also has happen (last 4years). When did eBay become the "NADA/Kelly Blue Book" of prices? Even Craigslist has changed.
I remember being able to buy a pack of cigarettes for 55 cents, but that doesn't necessarily mean that people are over charging for them.
I think that if you look at the prices of meerschaums at legitimate meerschaum dealers, $200 is rather low.
I think that if you look at the prices of meerschaums at legitimate meerschaum dealers, $200 is rather low.
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