Ed Kolpin Pipe Just Sold or Did It?

[numbersix]

Curious what people think of this pipe that sold last night. If I had any spare cash on hand, I might have tried for it - but I was also too unsure if it was legit.
Ebay Listing
The accompanying text reads:
ED'S HAND MADE ' 68. with sterling silver band... your chance to own a beautiful Very Rare Vintage Pipe. Excellent condition
This pipe was made by Ed Koplin SR. founder of the original famous "The Tinder Box" in Santa Monica California. This pipe is an fine example of his artistry. Over the years Ed has hand made many famous performers and actors form Hollywood their personal favorite pipes.
For those who are not aware, Ed Kolpin designed Bing Crosby's pipe in 1967 and this pipe is very similar to Bing's, made a year after Bing commission Kolpin to make his. I guess my hesitation to think it's the real deal is the poorly etched signature on the pipe. I find it hard to believe that Ed Kolpin would do such a poor job of stamping the pipe.

If it is legit, the pipe could be very valuable - the next best thing to owning Bing Crosby's very own pipe. But that also might make it tempting for someone to forge. It sold for $110, which to me seems a fair price for an Ed Kolpin Sr. pipe.
Curious what some of the experts here think?
btw: I am not accusing the seller of forgery - they could have been duped (or not).

 

[eaglerico]

I can't say anything to the pipe other then its a nice looker. I can attest to the seller though. I have bought one pipe from him and have almost pulled the trigger on many more. I have no issues with the pipe I bought.
I would imagine if the signature was done by hand and not by stamp it would be really hard to make it look clean.

 

[numbersix]

I can't say anything to the pipe other then its a nice looker.

It is old look and pretty classic looking too.
I guess my thinking is that Bing wouldn't have a similar inscription scratched so poorly on it. ::
I suppose the only ones who would know for sure are the folks at the Tinder Box.

 

[shaintiques]

Ive seen other pipes marked similarly, but the sellers knew nothing about the maker. I don't know either, but have seen others out there

 

[numbersix]

Ive seen other pipes marked similarly, but the sellers knew nothing about the maker. I don't know either, but have seen others out there

Interesting. The other reason I wondered about the legitimacy of this pipe is I saw someone post a photo of an estate pipe on a different forum (found on a Google search) that was stamped "Ed's Handmade"
But the stamp was very professional looking - not crudely scratched on like this one... See below:

And a person on that other forum stated it was made by Ed Kolpin, which caused me to wonder about the ebay pipe.
I will say, I was sorely tempted to bid on it - but with finances the way they are and the fact that I couldn't be 100% sure it was real, I had to pass.

 

[numbersix]

I'm thinking Bing and the other famous folks who own(ed) Ed Kolpin pipes had the professional stampings on them.

Thanks Rothnh. That is my feeling too.
I really didn't have the dime to drop anyway, but if I was a 100% sure it was legit, I might have tried a bit harder to get it. It's the closest I'd ever get to owning a real "Bing".

 

[cigrmaster]

The fact that shiny pipes sold it makes me think it is not legit. Those people are liars and lousy ebay sellers. I would never do business with them again.

 

[john218]

http://www.smokemag.com/0697/pipes/holywood.htm
Numbersix, I went to look at the pipe before reading your complete post and what immediately hit me was how crudely the pipe was marked. I am not knowledgeable about Ed Gilpin's pipes, but I find it hard to imagine him marking one of his pipes so crudely, so it does arouse my suspicions.
About the Bing pipe shape; I mentioned about a month ago that I had read years ago that Bing's pipe was a Merchant's Service Special. Above is a link I found to another article on the Bing's pipes.. ED Kolpin made pipes for Bing, but based on this article from the 1997 summer issue of Smoke Magazine and the earlier one I read, I don't think he originated the shape.

 

[captainsousie]

Several of their listings have had incorrect information so I probably would have hesitated as well. The markings do look a bit suspect.

 

[numbersix]

About the Bing pipe shape; I mentioned about a month ago that I had read years ago that Bing's pipe was a Merchant's Service Special. Above is a link I found to another article on the Bing's pipes.. ED Kolpin made pipes for Bing, but based on this article from the 1997 summer issue of Smoke Magazine and the earlier one I read, I don't think he originated the shape.

This is interesting. I have read the Ed Kolpin story in a couple of places—namely that Bing designed it and asked Ed K. to make it. This is the first time I heard about the Merchant's Service. From reading the article though, it sounds like perhaps this company re-created it for fans:

And since so many of Der Bingle's fans wanted to emulate his casual, contented air, a company called Merchant Service created the Crosby-style pipe

Not sure.
IN regards to the ebay pipe, I am more and more convinced that the pipe on ebay is either a forgery or maybe a completely different Ed made it (from the scrawlin style, maybe Mr. Ed?). Very glad I didn't let my emotions get the better of me and cause me to bid!

 

[docwatson]

Without any supporting documents that pipe could have been made by anyone named ED.

As for Mr. Ed Kolpin, I never bought a pipe from him but I DID sell him one for his collection when I visited his shop about 15 years ago.

 

[numbersix]

As for Mr. Ed Kolpin, I never bought a pipe from him but I DID sell him one for his collection when I visited his shop about 15 years ago.

Now that must be an interesting story!