I hope this is in the correct place. I know the question of how desirable a pipe is is ultimately personal but I’m curious to get an opinion on this. This is a pipe I consider collectible and it’s there for a price. My question is this: Say this pipe would be worth 100$ with the rim perfectly round. What does its value drop to with it being this badly out of round? I know this is conjecture and subjective so I’m just curious what people think.
How Out of Round?
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I suppose it depends on what your priorities are and what the criteria are to meet what will satisfy you. If I’m looking for a flawless example of a rare book in a dust jacket, I might be willing to pay a premium price, maybe more than the going rate because I want it badly and have been searching for ages—I might come across a copy that is perfect in every way, except it is price clipped; to me, that copy might be worthless, because it doesn’t satisfy what I’m looking for in a flawless copy of that title.
For some people, an out of round pipe is a deal breaker. For someone just wanting a beater, he might pay $20.00—it really is just a matter of what someone is willing to pay. Someone might feel $40.00 is a bargain because the pipe normally goes for $100.00 in better shape and he can’t afford to spend that much or is unwilling to spend that much, but, can deal with spending less than half for a lesser example.
I had an illustration teacher that had great advice when it came to knowing if the fee you were getting for an illustration was the “right” price:
Would you be willing to do the art for $2,500.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $1,000.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $500.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $200.00?
Maybe.
When you get to the point where you hesitate, and you’re considering the price, you start to know if you’re in the ballpark of what might be acceptable.
You can apply this to what you are thinking of purchasing. You can ask yourself in reverse order if that helps. Would you pay $5.00 for an out of round pipe? $10.00? And so on.
Like many things, it all depends. If you’re trying to sell something, you can list it at a certain price. If it doesn’t have any takers, it may be too high. A lower price might have interest next time.
For some people, an out of round pipe is a deal breaker. For someone just wanting a beater, he might pay $20.00—it really is just a matter of what someone is willing to pay. Someone might feel $40.00 is a bargain because the pipe normally goes for $100.00 in better shape and he can’t afford to spend that much or is unwilling to spend that much, but, can deal with spending less than half for a lesser example.
I had an illustration teacher that had great advice when it came to knowing if the fee you were getting for an illustration was the “right” price:
Would you be willing to do the art for $2,500.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $1,000.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $500.00?
Yes.
Would you be willing to do the art for $200.00?
Maybe.
When you get to the point where you hesitate, and you’re considering the price, you start to know if you’re in the ballpark of what might be acceptable.
You can apply this to what you are thinking of purchasing. You can ask yourself in reverse order if that helps. Would you pay $5.00 for an out of round pipe? $10.00? And so on.
Like many things, it all depends. If you’re trying to sell something, you can list it at a certain price. If it doesn’t have any takers, it may be too high. A lower price might have interest next time.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. It’s interesting. I don’t really need this pipe in my life but it is really rare that I see it. It’s a Stanwell 07 early 50s design. I think I’ve only seen it online once before. What’s interesting to me is that I think on smokingpipes, I only ever see Dunhills or really rare pipes that are this out of round being sold. I think. This pipe is being auctioned and as the seller doesn’t respond to questions about the pipe’s other features (inside the bowl for example), I’m probably going to pass.
If I could know more about it, I might get it. It’s a bit rare.
For an older pipe that has likely been well smoked, this one wouldn’t make me think twice. I personally would have no hesitation about buying it. I’d only hesitate due to the buyer’s unresponsiveness; I just may not want to buy from such a seller.
But I’m interested in pipes to smoke, not pristine and perfect collectibles. I think you’re likely to see rim wear like this on many pipes over 50 years old.
For me, it depends on the genre of pipe. A traditional shape in a factory pipe, especially those that sell for higher prices (however you want to define that) should emphasize symmetry. You are paying for a classic look and something made in a conventional tradition.
If you get into artisan pipes where the design is more expressive, not just freehand but other innovative or expressive designs, then you get into the territory of artistic expression, like a Japanese ceramic tea service, where the variations in the pieces are part of the experience.
Yup, there's some art history and some study in pipe design to get this right. Some asymmetry is just hurried lapses in quality, and other is part of the originality of the carving. If you are paying more, the artistry should be obvious.
When in doubt, go for expectations of symmetry and assume the rest is error.
If you get into artisan pipes where the design is more expressive, not just freehand but other innovative or expressive designs, then you get into the territory of artistic expression, like a Japanese ceramic tea service, where the variations in the pieces are part of the experience.
Yup, there's some art history and some study in pipe design to get this right. Some asymmetry is just hurried lapses in quality, and other is part of the originality of the carving. If you are paying more, the artistry should be obvious.
When in doubt, go for expectations of symmetry and assume the rest is error.
This kind of out of round is the result of an unskilled or just plain uncaring owner using a knife to trim the cake. While it's not a complete deal breaker, it's a 95% deal breaker. The pipe would have to be something so rare, something that I've been looking for, to make me think twice about it, because having been smoked by a clod, there's an increased chance that other damage has been done to the pipe that isn't immediately visible.
If it can be purchased for throwaway money then I might buy it. Anything more than that, no.
If it can be purchased for throwaway money then I might buy it. Anything more than that, no.
I would pass on this, especially with the lack of communication. I once bought a pipe with slight but noticeable out of round condition and sent it to Walker pipe repair for what was called a "re-rounding". Not sure how that was accomplished as the pipe came back looking perfect with no sign that any wood was removed.
Unfortunately, they are now closed due to retirement.
Unfortunately, they are now closed due to retirement.
I wouldn’t pay $100 for that.
In the last several years there’s been an increase in “pipe restorers” auctioning humped up pipes at a premium. The proverbial Craig’s List refurb. Shame; I’ve seen some very nice pipes get wrecked by these ham handed opportunists.
If the bowl was that badly knifed, the draft hole is probably way over on the side of the chamber above the floor of the chamber.
In the last several years there’s been an increase in “pipe restorers” auctioning humped up pipes at a premium. The proverbial Craig’s List refurb. Shame; I’ve seen some very nice pipes get wrecked by these ham handed opportunists.
If the bowl was that badly knifed, the draft hole is probably way over on the side of the chamber above the floor of the chamber.
I almost never see this early Stanwell design. But, yeah, no communication from the seller so I guess it’s a pass. He’s only selling it for 50$ actually. I put the 100$ figure just to give a rounder number for a hypothetical. I’ve just spent too much recently on pipes and I’ve already shot my mouth off about this pipe to my wife. Oops. I’m actually curious why I can’t find any record of this shape having ever been sold, even at smokingpipes (it’s Stanwell 07 or 707). There are some pipes you just never see.
