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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
Always window shopping, I ran across three distinct pipe sets way up-market that seem to dance across the line from extra premium tobacco pipes to fine arts sculpture arrangements. First was a plate of faux food by Todd Johnson that includes a dinner plate with various side dishes surrounding a duck breast configured pipe; the second was a Bing Crosby three pipe set by Scottie Piersel, with the pipes arranged on a finely finished cross section of tree trunk and resting on three golf balls as a sort of pedestal; and finally, even Scott Thile gets into the act with a bent bulldog two pipe pair on a special rack. If you have to ask the price on these, you can't afford them. I can't afford them. But it seems to be a trend for the well-off pipe smoker who wants their pipes to double as decor in the spacious sunny rooms of their expansive houses. Cool ... in a way. My vicarious thrill of today. These all appeared on SP, and two of them were sold.
 

scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,953
12,087
Todd Johnson link:

Scottie Piersel link:

Scott Thile link:
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
My pipe set is my Yello-Bole Checker and my Dr. Grabow Royalton sitting on my Missouri Meerschaum Cap, the last freebie cap from a TAPS pipe show a few years ago. The set sells for $5,500, but I could never sell it. scloyd, thank you for getting those links to make these easy to view. Actually, I think the sets are intriguing, the duck breast piece really more a piece of art than a pipe set. My imagination goes there easily, if not my credit card.
 

ofafeather

Lifer
Apr 26, 2020
2,769
9,049
50
Where NY, CT & MA meet
Always window shopping, I ran across three distinct pipe sets way up-market that seem to dance across the line from extra premium tobacco pipes to fine arts sculpture arrangements. First was a plate of faux food by Todd Johnson that includes a dinner plate with various side dishes surrounding a duck breast configured pipe; the second was a Bing Crosby three pipe set by Scottie Piersel, with the pipes arranged on a finely finished cross section of tree trunk and resting on three golf balls as a sort of pedestal; and finally, even Scott Thile gets into the act with a bent bulldog two pipe pair on a special rack. If you have to ask the price on these, you can't afford them. I can't afford them. But it seems to be a trend for the well-off pipe smoker who wants their pipes to double as decor in the spacious sunny rooms of their expansive houses. Cool ... in a way. My vicarious thrill of today. These all appeared on SP, and two of them were sold.
Yeah, they are pretty amazing. I can’t usually afford (Justify) a simple set...well maybe a MM 7 day set, ?.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
briarbuck, sorry I didn't note the prices, but I'm sure it was in the thousands. In fairness, when you get into gallery quality visual arts, you have to pump up the prices or the customers will think it is not very good, so thousands is base line.
 
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ofafeather

Lifer
Apr 26, 2020
2,769
9,049
50
Where NY, CT & MA meet
briarbuck, sorry I didn't note the prices, but I'm sure it was in the thousands. In fairness, when you get into gallery quality visual arts, you have to pump up the prices or the customers will think it is not very good, so thousands is base line.
That’s one thing I wish they would do - list the prices on sold pipes and oos tobaccos.
 
May 2, 2020
4,664
23,771
Louisiana
I’m sorry, but that duck breast conglomeration has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. The others were very nice though.
You see the same thing with some custom knife makers as well, sometimes making “art knives” that aren’t really all that functional, or are simply over the top. It’s more about the artist showcasing his/her skills than it is about producing a piece to sell. It’s more of a “hey, look what I can do” sort of thing. I wouldn’t own it either, but I do enjoy looking at crazy pieces like that and figuring out how they created it. It’s a breath of fresh air for an artist/craftsman as well, to do something completely different for a change.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
I do like some of the Mummert and Ser Jacopo pipes that I'd never buy but enjoy seeing, even when I'm laughing up my sleeve. Occasionally, I see a seemingly traditional pipe that stops me cold, where all that imagination and creativity have been turned inward and applied to what is a standard design, but with a major sense of how a simple design can be a major work. The shaping, the tapering, the cant of a bowl and/or the incredible finish, when art and function fuse.
 

kcghost

Lifer
May 6, 2011
13,505
22,073
77
Olathe, Kansas
petes03 said:

I'm sorry but that duck breast conglomeration has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. The others were very nice though.

Got to agree. I found that arrangement very garish. I've seen Johnson make a number of gorgeous pipes but I don't think that was one of them.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
Yes, I'm afraid the duck breast pipe isn't one I'd want to smoke. It reminds me of ... well, never mind.
 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,101
To make beautiful pipes and showcase them beautifully embellishes without adding substance.

Just make great pipes. Just make them but showcase them makes more money; well, of course!
 
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