Good News. I found my birth year Dunhill!
- Thread starter oldgeezersmoker
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Final price with the shipping a touch under $900, in line with what I guessed in the OP. Yes, the pipe had possible condition issues, but it is in the LC "family", though it is certainly not an LC, and most LC's have condition issues.
I guessed a little higher, interesting.
When was the last time a good condition LC was on Ebay? I found this LC with a damaged bowl (of all things), but that was it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1943-DUNHILL-SHELL-LC-BENT-large-estate-pipe-cracked-/272558555623?hash=item3f75c181e7%3Ag%3AfQ0AAOSw4A5YpS86&nma=true&si=T7gpRwTUHdKxW7KcBeymZ03Qzyg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
When was the last time a good condition LC was on Ebay? I found this LC with a damaged bowl (of all things), but that was it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1943-DUNHILL-SHELL-LC-BENT-large-estate-pipe-cracked-/272558555623?hash=item3f75c181e7%3Ag%3AfQ0AAOSw4A5YpS86&nma=true&si=T7gpRwTUHdKxW7KcBeymZ03Qzyg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
About 18 months ago one went through my hands that had no issues. Cut + condition made it by far the best LC I'd seen in 40 years.
Thought I'd mention it because of what happened afterward. The legit original finder---the guy I did the clean-up for---knew not to mess with it himself (it looked like it had been packed in dirt for 50 years), and then he legit sold it. The size and style was not his cup of tea. The buyer, though, was a flipper who figured he could make a killing in China or wherever, and HE couldn't resist hitting the ol' buffing wheel before taking his listing pics.
See how faint and delicate---but razor-sharp---the stamping is? Well, treasure the moment, because it's 90% smeared-gone now.
:evil: :evil: :evil:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/the-holy-grail-of-all-english-pipes-a-rarity-among-rarities
Al, I doubt you see an "all there" LC on eBay. Of the people I know or knew who have them, they are all very cognizant of what they have and would much rather sell or trade the pipe to a known Dunhill collector, if for no other reason than to avoid the kind of "flipping" degradation that Georged Wolfe's to. It seems that the urge to "improve" a pipe knows no bounds. ,
I remember Georges post, sorry to hear of the sad demise.
Are there any other maker/shapes that has the mystique and rarity of the LC?
Are there any other maker/shapes that has the mystique and rarity of the LC?
I would be hard pressed to think of one. Been many years since I have been to a pipe show, but they were always "show stoppers". I imagine they still are.
Edited to add: George Wolfe's in my immediately preceding post should read Georged refers to.
Spell check is my worst enema.
Edited to add: George Wolfe's in my immediately preceding post should read Georged refers to.
Spell check is my worst enema.
Not quite as desirable, but definitely special are CKs from the 30's, and those 14" long half-bent bamboo churchwardens from the 50's.
The latter routinely sold for $1300 25-30 years ago, and a truly prime 30's CK would probably bring that much today.
Haven't seen an example of either in a long time. (Newer ones, yes, but they aren't the same)
Given what kinds of prices GBD and Peterson "Rubenesque" Authors or Rhodesians attract on eBay these days, I would imagine a CK of any vintage would do well. I have seen patent# CK's, but I am not sure I have ever seen a pre WWII CK.
The CK shape is a bit of a mystery to me. I have not been able to find when this shape entered the Dunhill catalog. Neither Rich Essersman or RD Fields knew that answer.
- Status