Fodder for the anti-artisan crowd

[bigpond]

Sorry for the thread title, I haven't recovered from the cognitive dissonance caused by an encounter with the following which I believe to be my first with a pipe turd of such magnitude. Now, do keep in mind I don't claim to be an expert nor even a fancier of pipes. Some folks may find this a stunning piece of art.
What I see are cheek that seem an artifact of lazy carving rather than taking advantage of the grain, the stem laminations aren't flush with each other, nor the stummel, the slot is a trapezoid, the funnel shallow and narrow, it has the fattest button I've ever seen in vulcanite, the bowl interior has at least one large surface pit, but far and away the greatest offender are the scorch marks at the bottom of the bowl from the drill press.
Most of these are cosmetic nit picks taken from a few web photos so take this for what it is, but damn, those scorch marks...on a pipe with that price tag? Better make sure you keep it for your lat bombs cuz you're gonna taste the burn!!!
On the positve side, the shaping (aside from the cheeks) is lovely, as is the color palette. The grain is good too, maybe in the neighborhood of a 3C Cavicchi.
https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/tao/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=204669

 

[tuold]

I saw that pipe in an email ad this morning and thought that for that price everything ought to be perfect.This one is not perfect.
If a pipe carver wants to establish a name for himself in that price bracket a pipe like that probably should not have left the shop.

 

[bigpond]

My thoughts to a T. Except he's well established.

 

[mso489]

A number of Forums members have made pipes that appeal to me more than this one. I don't notice any of the complaints in the original post. I guess I don't have a pipe maker's eye. But in terms of design, this doesn't seem that inspiring as a chubby or hefty pipe. Obviously, the artisan has an audience and buyers, and I won't rain on his parade. If I were one of these tech billionaires with an endless cash flow and a strained imagination on how to make my money matter to myself ... this isn't the $3K pipe I'd buy. fishnbanjo seems to have scores of pipes I'd prefer.

 

[clickklick]

I can't believe those bowl marks got left! Holy!

 

[jpmcwjr]

More in mso's camp: the overall design leaves me cold. But it will appeal to someone, and then there are the technical aspects pointed out above. I wouldn't call it even a $300 pipe.
I am in no way anti-artisan, however!

 

[jefff]

I can't imagine spending 3k on a pipe. Then again many can't imagine 300.00.
But for either price you should get impeccable workmanship.
That pipe isn't it.

 

[deathmetal]

Artisanal or not, we have a duty to be militant and vigilant with our spending.
What gets purchased, you get more of.
If artisanal pipes are low quality, and people stop buying them, a natural "market correction" is coming.
I think bigpond is doing a service by drawing attention to this.

 

[jefff]

As do I.

 

[deathmetal]

Just remember to pronounce it "art-eaze-ANAL."
They start to correct you, then realize it's a troll, and get all snippy

 

[sablebrush52]

Maybe he was just being artistic?

 

[deathmetal]

"I am an artist!"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3654897/Woman-banned-20-percent-land-including-national-parks-defacing-rock-formations-posting-evidence-crimes-Instagram.html

 

[jpmcwjr]

Omg, what an arrogant ****.

 

[deathmetal]

Pretty much.
I reiterate again that one cannot tell the inauthentic by appearance... it requires delving into motivations, which is real (mental) work.
But the authentic is always worth seeking.

 

[blueeyedogre]

I have seen much nicer and better finished pipes made by our own resident makers. That price is nuts. As for the "artist" defacing parks, it's just another shining example of where society has gone sideway in people thinking the only opinion that matters is their own and "damn the rules". The site "the chive" even has a weekly post called "I do what I want" containing pics of people actively and proudly breaking others rules and request. What's next? Some one drawing a moustache on the Mona Lisa "cause it's funny"? Throw the book at her I say.

 

[ophiuchus]

Not an attractive pipe by my measure. If the price isn't a typo, it's absurd. Send it to one of those firewood collectors who stormed the 2014 Chicago Pipe Show.

 

[pitchfork]

The stem is actually flush -- what looks like a gap is a streak of white acrylic or vulcanite (can't tell which).

 

[newbroom]

I'd say that the appearance of this pipe is handsome. It combines the classic bulldog shape with the popular nose warmer size.

Is it worth over $3K? Not to me.

At first glance, I thought I saw that the joint between shank and stem had a gap but on further investigation I saw that there was a contrasting color in the stem that gave that illusion in the pictures.

It's a nice pipe, but it's not worth more than entry level artisan pricing, imho. ($300-$500)

 

[jpmcwjr]

As I say often enough, diff strokes, diff folks; while the pipe is attractive to some, it's hideous to me. Every proportion is wrong and I don't care for blond finishes. (some pun might go in here about blonds finishing, etc, but I don't got none). The grain is nice, though!

 

[mawnansmiff]

A good sanding then a contrast stain is required on this one methinks. Still, it would not be worth the asking price.
Regards,
Jay.