Gettin' Fancy!

[baronsamedi]

All this talk about Dunhills and other premium pipes has made me decide to look for a premium pipe. One thing id for sure, though, Just like a guitar, I'f I'm going to drop $500+ on a piece of equipment, I better be in love with it! I've been looking at a 1973 Dunhill Rhodesian root briar as well as some Castellos. Right now, it's about the appealing design and awesome grains that I'm seeing, but I'd appreciate any reccommendations from the group regarding the finer things and what to look for. Also I was looking at the '73 because it's my birth year so anything introduced that year is interesting to me, too.

 

[judcole]

I've never been able to drop that much on a pipe, so I can't be much help. but I would certainly agree with your statement

If I'm going to drop $500+ on a piece of equipment, I better be in love with it!

 

[martiniman]

Just picked up a 65 Dunhill Shell Briar from Pipestud on ebay for $150, my birth year. First smoke was last night it met my expectations. I don't know if the pipe is that good or the fact that the anticipation was so high, still new to this. I couldn't pull the $500 trigger but had to see about the hype.

 

[waznyf]

To for it!

I decided to look for Dunhill pipes from my birth year but didn't find much.

 

[pstlpkr]

Baron, I have a couple of pipes your age... :D

::

 

[spartan]

That stem of the first pipe could use some of your time and love Lawrence. 8O
Nice pipes though.

 

[bigvan]

Just my preference, but I'd rather spend $500 on a handmade pipe by Rad Davis, Scott Thile, Bruce Weaver, etc.

 

[nsfisher]

Love that Ben Wade Lawrence.

 

[billinsfl]

I really love Dunhills, but if you are looking for a really special, vintage pipe you might want to look for a pre-transition Barling. They are a bit older than you, but they are wonderful smokers, finely made and of course have look great. You can buy a pretty nice one for under $400 from one of the online dealers or e-bay.

 

[baronsamedi]

Thanks, folks. I'll check some of those names out.

 

[stogie37]

Just my preference, but I'd rather spend $500 on a handmade pipe by Rad Davis, Scott Thile, Bruce Weaver, etc.

+1 BigVan - Have owned many Dunhill, Ashton, Castello in the past - and have kept a few of each of these in my current collection, however, in the rare case that I purchase high end pipes now, they have been from craftsmen like those listed above. I have recently become quite enamored with Larrysson pipes! Can't really go wrong either way, but my personal slant is that I enjoy knowing and communicating with the guy that crafted my pipe.

 

[thesmokindragon]

I really like the designs and amazing grains of Castello, Cavicchi, Eltang and Former.

Ardor also makes some pretty impressive design as well, IMHO...I also

hear great things about Ser Jac's stuff as well brother

 

[baronsamedi]

I'm definitely planning to get a TRG. Both a TRG and an unfinished Nording are more short-term plans, since The TRGs are a sweet deal for the quality and attention you get and the Nords I can get at my local B&M or tack onto a P&C order for under $100. I just threw $500 out there as some of the more recent Dunhills and Castellos I liked were about that range. For $500 you could get three very impressive TRG pipes! I've also met Tim and he's a very cool guy.

 

[tbradsim1]

Look at savinelli Estella pipes, I have 4 Huge pipes and smoke damn good Tbradsim the old cajun

 

[baronsamedi]

Will do, man.

 

[tbradsim1]

I don"t know if you do the e-bay thing but their are 4 or 5 Estella's on there, my understanding is the autograph pipes were their top of the line and when they had a small flaw and did not meet the standard they rusticated them and called them Estella's, made in the 60s, 70s, and 80s I have 3 huge ones and 1 medium sized one and I wouldn't"t trade them off