He Whiffs! (GBD 9242 w/Silver Hallmark)

[ssjones]

Someone of you know that I was making a play for this one but fell woefully short:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GBD-VINTAGE-ESTATE-PIPE-BENT-9242-LONDON-ENGLAND-/262046223699?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=NMWvBlC7LPw4eMhnchcpV3qlXoI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
While the pipe is in pretty rough shape, it should restore nicely and the seller offered returns should there have been unseen damage. But, $295 was well past my comfort zone.
I sure hope someone restores and shows it. A 9242 appears on Ebay about once a year or so and I've never seen a hallmarked pipe. It's too bad the pictures were too fuzzy to discern the mark/year.

 

[philobeddoe]

Hopefully someone cleans her up and loves her, that much cash seems a bit steep to me.

 

[dmcmtk]

I'll take a shot, London 1949...

 

[bonehed]

Wouldn't the {MR&C} make it pre-1903 (A.Oppenheimer merge)?

 

[dolomite128]

I agree with dmc that it's 1949. I took a shot at is as well....no go here.
Lots of love for 9242s and a sterling band w/ hallmark?!? Yikes. Hoping it shows up on here in a week or so with plenty of pictures.
Stunning.

 

[dmcmtk]

Wouldn't the {MR&C} make it pre-1903 (A.Oppenheimer merge)?

That is a very good question, I just don't see any corresponding London mark from that period...

 

[gloucesterman]

That's a lot of money for that pipe but the 9242s with hallmarks almost never show up. I thought I detected a few small fills on the bottom picture, the nomenclature was soft and the silver pretty worn. Just a little to rich for my blood but when you consider the Comoy 499 being offered for $950, the $295 GBD looks like a steal. But the Comoy has been listed for several weeks without a taker which suggests it might be just a tad overpriced. Well maybe a it more than a tad.

 

[dolomite128]

I feel this particular 9242 (if in restored condition) would likely be worth a considerable amount. As we've said, these rarely every show up and almost never show up with factory sterling hallmarked bands.
Only one I've ever seen is in GL Pease's collection. 1949, it must have quite the patina and rich color under that grunge.
That Comoy is a beauty too but way out of the realm of being added to my collection.

 

[ssjones]

The worn nomenclature was definitely not a value builder. I whiffed, but I still get to come home to this at night...

 

[jpmcwjr]

You'd think the seller would've spent three minutes to polish the band and do a cursory cleaning of the briar and stem..... And the background looks familiar. Anyone??

 

[danielplainview]

That's a real beaut. But for 3 bills, I'd like to be able to read the stampings. The one that's already in your collection is a stunner.

 

[buroak]

Wouldn't the {MR&C} make it pre-1903 (A.Oppenheimer merge)?

The MR&Co stamping on sterling bands was retained well past 1903. I have seen several 1930s pipes with the same markings. I think dmcmtk's guess is as good as any on this pipe.

 

[disinformatique]

I was tempted to put $300 for the pipe but with my current job situation at work I preferred not to.
Chris

 

[ssjones]

@jmpcwr: Acutally, the last thing I want a seller to do is an amateur on a rare pipe. Just taking the pipe apart for mailing can be dangerous (betting that one hasn't been taken apart in decades). I'd much rather do any restoration work myself.
My hope is they just pack it right. If I had won that pipe, before payment, I would have contacted the seller and asked to pay a few dollars more to ensure it was shipped insured, in a box and packed well (shipping listed was only a few dollars, probably not enough for a box). The 9242 pictured above came delivered to me wrapped in paper towels in a soft bag.....

 

[bigpond]

Beautiful shape.

 

[bonehed]

The MR&Co stamping on sterling bands was retained well past 1903. I have seen several 1930s pipes with the same markings.

Ah, thanks for clarification.

 

[danielplainview]

+1 Al
I'd rather a seller leave the pipe as is. I also contact the seller to clarify proper shipping.

I've had a few show up in the mailbox that make me cringe when I see it in an envelope!
@buroak

I have an MRC silver band dated 1936.

 

[georged]

I feel this particular 9242 (if in restored condition) would likely be worth a considerable amount.

The sort of things wrong with it aren't restorable without detectable alteration, and a lack of good condition (which includes alteration) keeps the deep pocket collectors away regardless of rarity.
Although that badly topped, gold-banded Barling from a couple months ago would imply that the gullibility/inexperience of the Asian market is changing that axiom.

 

[dolomite128]

The pictures are so fuzzy and poorly lit, it's hard to say what the color of the actual pipe is. Seems the outer rim is potentially dinged/scraped and the stampings are light. Again without proper lighting and crisp close-ups, it's a roll of the dice.
Some restorations on this site have been jaw-dropping and this particular pipe doesn't seem like it's half the wreck some of the 'before' pipes have been.
Rarity and the highly desirable 9242 shape helps in the 'demand' factor as these rarely ever show up for auction.

 

[gloucesterman]

If you define restoring as "returning it to original condition" that pipe is probably beyond that point. It could however be reconditioned and become a very nice example of the type. Today the words restore and recondition are often used interchangeably but they really are not the same thing.