How Do You Assign Value to Your Estates?

[mikethompson]

When the time comes to cull the herd and move on from some pipes, how do you know what to charge for them?

I'm not speaking of pipes that you can cross reference against SP or somewhere, but just an older pipe, in decent shape, with a less common name?

How do you gauge what the market will bear?

 

[scloyd]

Great question Mike. I've been thinking about this lately since I plan on selling a few soon.

 

[mikethompson]

Great question Mike. I've been thinking about this lately since I plan on selling a few soon.

I ask the odd good one.

You've got me thinking about selling some too Scott.

 

[seanv]

Good question for sure. I have about a dozen that are on the block

 

[sablebrush52]

When the time comes to cull the herd and move on from some pipes, how do you know what to charge for them?

I'm not speaking of pipes that you can cross reference against SP or somewhere, but just an older pipe, in decent shape, with a less common name?

How do you gauge what the market will bear?

Ask yourself what you would be willing to pay for that pipe. Not what you did pay, just in case you were shitfaced impaired at the time you bought it, but in the cold light of day, what you would be willing to pay. Also, ask yourself just how badly you want to divest yourself of your treasures.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Never have.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I look at the pipe and say “what would I pay for this?”…then add 10%. ?️

 

[boston]

I'd send my pipes to Steve Fallon (pipestud) and let him sell it for you. An honest guy in my experience, a genuine pleasure to deal with, and he's informed on pipe values. That's not to say you can't sell on ebay yourself - but Steve has experience in dealing w/ the variables, and the miscreants that can make a transaction more of a nuisance than you might want to deal with.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Check on eBay to see what similar pipes are selling for. For most smoked pipe, you can expect to get around 60% of what you paid for it new. However, some popular Artisan pipes are selling for almost new prices and even higher. So there is no hard and fast rule.

 

[niblicck]

For e-bay listing that have ended in the past, for example a Comoy's Extraordinare. To the right of the search bar button will be advance. Click on advance and type in the search request and check closed listings box and listing will come up for what you searched for, sold for. Gives you a good idea of what you may expect.

 

[TheDesertPiper]

I've never had to do this, but to echo what others have said I would see what similar pipes are selling for if possible and use that to set the price. If not just set the price with what you think is reasonable and see if you get any interest.

 

[Piping Abe]

Easy thing to do for selling on eBay, set your lowest price point you’s take and start an auction a little below that price.

 

[cigrmaster]

I never bought a pipe and thought about how much money I could get for it. I use a professional seller on ebay and he gets me tkp dollar. He certainlu gets more than I ouls =d swlling a pipe where people don;t know me. Plus I am way too lazy to sell single pipes. I recently gave a pro on ebay aeound 60 plus pipes and he for more than I every could have plus all I did was box them up and he did the rest. No dealing with ebay, no dealing with customers, What I pay him is worth evert dame.
He gets prices I just shake my head at.
Like I said in the car business there is an ass for every seat and the market is no different.

 

[scloyd]

The pipes I'm going to try to sell are all antique shop finds that need some work (cleaning...) that I no longer have any interest in doing. I'm talking $10 pipes...cheap, perfect for someone/newby who thinks they may enjoy trying to clean/restore them.

 

[mikethompson]

Thanks for the good responses. I like Jesse's approach, as these are just older honest pipes - nothing artisanal or anything.

I should have added that I was intending to list them on here, not ebay.

 

[telescopes]

There will come a time when I need to divest myself of my pipes. I keep them in top condition and most of my vintage pipes were professionally refurbished. Because of the volume of pipes, I have been thinking I would send them to someone like Steve Fallon. Regardless, each pipe is a story and memories. My Petersons were bought in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, and Belfast. Others were bought from John Dengler himself. My Americana pipes form a 12 day rotation and each represents a certain aspect of merchant level quality of old American made pipes. How does one part with purchases that were not impulse buys but buys of the heart?

 

[scloyd]

How does one part with purchases that were not impulse buys but buys of the heart?

You don't, at least I won't. I have a pipe I purchased at A la Pipe du Nord in Paris when my wife and I were there to celebrate our 40th anniversary. It's a pipe commemorating the 150 year anniversary of their shop. Mine is numbered 129/150 and I'll never part with it. Somethings you just have to hold on to.

 

[OzPiper]

The problem with selling is that the buyer is unlikely to pay a premium for sentiment. Mores the pity.

Unless it is one of Einstein's pipes ?