Help Identifying Pipe

[milk]

I agree to a point, he asked to see the pipe mortice AFTER bidding AND WINNING the pipe. The original auction pictures indicated MAJOR issues with the pipe, he bid on it anyways in an attempt, in his own words, to get a really good deal and flip it.

Once he realized that he couldn't do that, after he won, he backed out of his winning bid. To ME, that is way more unethical than anything the seller did. He wasted everyone's time because of buyer's remorse.

As a buyer you place a bid with the knowledge at hand to purchase if you win. Don't bid until AFTER all questions and concerns have been fully addressed to your satisfaction. These are the rules of every auction site I've ever seen.

And how the heck is some random reseller of general household goods supposed to educate themselves about what they are selling? Every steal I've ever got on eBay was because someone didn't know what they were selling. It's one of the major points of participating in an auction as a buyer. If a want to deal with someone who is 'knowledgeable' about estate pipes, I'll buy from one of the many estate pipe vendors.

By his own admission, he thought he saw something rare and valuable for little money and he bought it with apparently a combination of auction fever and tunnel vision. Hell, I did the same thing (more than once!!), twenty years ago when eBay was taking off. Bought some real lemons back then, I did. But those mistakes were mine, I owned to them, and I upheld my end.

Look, I know Milk is conflicted about this, but he bid on the damn thing without full information. That's on him.

PS- the more I look at those pictures, the less I think the shank has been shortened

I can see your POV. It’s a learning experience that leaves an icky feeling I don’t want to repeat. I’m not sure I would have flipped it necessarily but I was definitely thinking it could have been possible. Yes, the icky feeling comes from a sense that I’m in the wrong to some extent. There’s a small part of me that feels that if it’s actually been damaged then there’s a little wiggle room here. Initially, I thought the problem was just the stem. I was prepared to keep the pipe for myself in that case. But I see what you mean. Maybe I’m in the wrong. I’m torn. I don’t feel defensive. I feel very much that I cannot do this again. ETA I’m sure you make a good point. Tunnel vision. I did think it could possibly be valuable. If not, then a cool thing to have. When I realized it was just junk I panicked. I felt like Lucy. How am I gonna explain this to Ricky (my wife is Ricky in this scenario)
?

 

[burleybreath]

After careful scrutiny of the stem, I'm convinced the pipe was made for rectal use. Wonder how it smokes? I've heard some say that stacks provide a unique smoking experience--you know, a good unique experience. Never quite became convinced enough to try one.

 

[telescopes]

Thanks for that. I don’t want to absolve myself completely but I do feel that sellers like these, who have a large amount of various stuff on auction, hide behind a feigned ignorance so that they don’t have to look too carefully or cull items reducing their profit. I’ve no doubt this seller went on to the next person without disclosing that someone pointed out that there may be a defect in the item. It’s hard to know exactly without looking. I think I should have been more careful, noticed this before, and asked more questions. I’d better be more diligent. But what if you’re selling something and the person says, “hey, did you realize that thing you’re selling may be broken? Let me get a close look.” Do you then say, “nope. Nothing doing.” Again, I wasn’t very smart. I really did think it was a cool looking item but I was kind of out if it. I shouldn’t have been bidding in my state of mind. But, yeah, I felt ok about pressing a bit to get out of it especially since he wasn’t going to show me what I asked to see.

I recently sold a Dunhill 58/59 Lovat at a loss. As a few potential buyers pointed out, the pipe may have been over reamed. Maybe. Briarville wasn't so sure and they know Dunhill's. But something was strange to the eye. And others as well. I disclosed what was shared with me and let the pipe eventually go for a loss. I probably should have kept it as it was a beautiful little Lovat. But, being upfront as much as possible, is important and it is the right thing to do, imho.

 

[anotherbob]

Thanks man. It’s got a wild sandblast.

except for that stem, that pipe is awesome. If you smoke that pipe people will know you really like smoking. Honestly the collectable aspect of the hobby isn't really my scene at all. It's neat but not the part of it that I really care about. The pipe is the pipe. The it was made here and by this person at this time aspect is secondary to me. That pipe is a neat pipe no matter who made it or when. Except for that stem. The only way that stem is acceptable is if it has the following story. "I broke my stem on my pipe, I was sad" "The next day my five year old said 'daddy I fixed your pipe' and showed me this stem". Otherwise my suggestion keep the pipe follow Sables advice (usually a good idea, except for the fact he never took the chance to push Morton off a cliff that's his one miss)and look into local replacements.

 

[telescopes]

I agree to a point, he asked to see the pipe mortice AFTER bidding AND WINNING the pipe. The original auction pictures indicated MAJOR issues with the pipe, he bid on it anyways in an attempt, in his own words, to get a really good deal and flip it.

Once he realized that he couldn't do that, after he won, he backed out of his winning bid. To ME, that is way more unethical than anything the seller did. He wasted everyone's time because of buyer's remorse.

As a buyer you place a bid with the knowledge at hand to purchase if you win. Don't bid until AFTER all questions and concerns have been fully addressed to your satisfaction. These are the rules of every auction site I've ever seen.

And how the heck is some random reseller of general household goods supposed to educate themselves about what they are selling? Every steal I've ever got on eBay was because someone didn't know what they were selling. It's one of the major points of participating in an auction as a buyer. If a want to deal with someone who is 'knowledgeable' about estate pipes, I'll buy from one of the many estate pipe vendors.

By his own admission, he thought he saw something rare and valuable for little money and he bought it with apparently a combination of auction fever and tunnel vision. Hell, I did the same thing (more than once!!), twenty years ago when eBay was taking off. Bought some real lemons back then, I did. But those mistakes were mine, I owned to them, and I upheld my end.

Look, I know Milk is conflicted about this, but he bid on the damn thing without full information. That's on him.

PS- the more I look at those pictures, the less I think the shank has been shortened

Commerce - it has its challenges. Buyers back out all the time. It is the RISK of selling just as buying has its own risks. We have cooling off periods for a reason. He made his argument to the seller. The seller, for whatever reason, agreed to release him. It didn't go to Ebay for arbitration. If a seller isn't willing to assume risks just like a buyer must assume risks, then too bad for the seller. Every Ebay auction I've sold something, I did so knowing that it might not go through. That was a risk I understood I was participating in. When the seller agreed to release the buyer, it was as it is. Ebay may have very well required him to send a picture of the unclothed stummel. We will never know. A clear look at the catalog shows that every Pipe Dan Shape Reformed pipe either has a longer stummel or a longer bit. Yes, asking questions before the bid is best practice. Ebay places rules in place for a reason. They don't pretend that it is a swap meet at a drive-in theater in some small town where "AS IS" is the rule, unless the pipe sale clearly says, "as is". Of course we can disagree. My point of view is my own, and as a seller I am also just as hard on sellers as I am buyers. I have bought some duds. But they were all ready delivered. I accepted those sales as "done". I once bought a MasterCraft where the stem was glued on to the stummel. Even a professional pipe repairer was unable to fix it. Too bad, it was an interesting pipe. But, I ate the cost, but I had also accepted the transaction and it is true I had not asked to inquire about seeing the bit and the stummel separated. I know better now. But Milk's sale cancellation occurred before the pipe was mailed. Money had NOT been exchanged. The seller could have risked the sale and let Ebay handle the complaint. He may have won. Maybe not. Maybe he was worried about a bad comment. Who knows? Truth in advertising, I am a ruthless buyer. I make no qualms about it. Now the seller knows more information about the pipe. He should have notified the next in line about the question of the stummel and given them an opportunity to back out as well and then resisted the pipe with pictures that at least showed the bit and the stummel separated.

A similar thing happened to me not to long ago. I won a bid on a "Pipe by Lee" and it was even in the box. Before the pipe was sold, I took a closer look at the pictures and was able to clearly see that the pipe was actually another makers. In fact, I think I even determined the maker and notified the seller of the fact that the pipe was NOT a Pipe by Lee. The seller released me from the sale. BUT, this pipe is STILL being marketed as a Pipe by Lee even though the Seller knows it is not a Pipe by Lee and even agreed by releasing me from the sale.

Should I have accepted the purchase? NO! True, it was mislabeled and I think I would have won an appeal with Ebay. As I clearly said, I know my opinion will be unpopular with sellers. Of course it would be. But that is the risk a seller takes when they sell something without putting in some sweat equity to know just what it is they are selling. Seller Beware is just as true as Buyer Beware.

 

[OzPiper]

I sent photos of that pipe and the nomenclature to a friend who has THE biggest and most complete collection of Pibe Dan pipes (that I know of) for his opinion.
He has no idea who the maker is.
But was most emphatic it is NOT a Pibe Dan piece
Sorry, not much help there