I Think I've Finally Hit Bottom

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Jan 28, 2018
12,955
134,673
67
Sarasota, FL
If you don't care about them anyway, you could NOT clean them and stick them in a box and send the to SP. You'll lose potential profit, but gain yourself time and store credit. Then you can buy yourself a couple nice new high end pipes.
That's a reasonable suggestion I will give some thought to. Is that a SP Store Credit or is it restricted to buying pipes from them? I'd probably rather exchange the pipes for tobacco.
 

yanoJL

Lifer
Oct 21, 2022
1,256
3,736
Pismo Beach, California
That's a reasonable suggestion I will give some thought to. Is that a SP Store Credit or is it restricted to buying pipes from them? I'd probably rather exchange the pipes for tobacco.
I've sent 3 to SP's estate department. I received an email upon arrival confirming that they had the pipes, and would evaluate them in the next week to ten days.

A week later, as promised, they emailed me a letter with 2 offers. One with an amount for store credit. And another figure for cash, a bit less than the amount offered as store credit.

I chose store credit, and was able to apply that credit to anything they sell; including tobacco, accessories or new pipes.
 
Jun 23, 2019
1,845
12,758
Over decades of pipe accumulation, building a collection that at one time numbered somewhere between 200 and 300 pipes, I've just completed a years long series of purges. Now, for the first time in -- I don't know how long -- I own just 30 pipes. Still far too many by any rational standard, but after numerous sweeps through the collection, at least for now, I don't think I can get it down any farther.

Some of the "survivors" are custom commissions. Others have a sentimental connection in the form of a life event, friendships, or family (my late Dad's Dr. Grabow Viscount Canadian). One is my birth year Dunhill. Still others are just pipes I truly admire and enjoy, either for their artistry (Ser Jacopo Domina '98) or their sheer smoking perfection (Upshall bent Dublin), or some other quality real or imagined.

If you, too, have hit bottom... what do you have left?

View attachment 206046

Didn't reach your dizzying heights, but at my peak I probably had about 100-150 pipes as well - mostly Castellos, a couple dozen "select" Dunhills and a bunch of Danish masters..

I've been on a mission to thin it all down to a couple of thematic 7-day sets, and just the best smokers. Still working on it but I'm probably down to about 40 or so now.

As long as I have a diversity in materials, I'm happy to focus on the tobacco and smoking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vosBghos and Elric
Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,159
Washington State
I first stared smoking a pipe back in April of 2011 with one simple basket pipe from my local B&M. About 8 months later I bought a second, and better-quality pipe. After a learning curve and finding some very enjoyable tobacco's I ventured into the world of estate pipes. I bought a bunch off ebay, and quickly learned that some of the "deals" I got were because the pipe was terrible. I then started buying new pipes, and started selling off the estate pipes on ebay. At least the bad smokers. At one point I had about 70 pipes and realized that was way to many. From there I sold off some more and in turn purchased some different ones. The last pipe I bought was in January of 2020. In all I've owned about 105 pipes over the last 12 years. I've got my collection down to a solid number of 45. Give or take a cob or two. That's still to many for me, but I can't seem to part with any of them. So for now I'm good at 45. I'm sure at some point I'll buy another meerschaum even though I don't need another one, but for the time being I'm good with 45.
 

Winnipeger

Lifer
Sep 9, 2022
1,288
9,667
Winnipeg
That's a reasonable suggestion I will give some thought to. Is that a SP Store Credit or is it restricted to buying pipes from them? I'd probably rather exchange the pipes for tobacco.
It's store credit or cheque. If you take payment rather than credit I think the commission is lower. Don't quote me. It's like 45% cash or 55% credit. Go ahead and contact them for clarification.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hoosierpipeguy

Lumbridge

(Pazuzu93)
Feb 16, 2020
654
2,385
Cascadia, U.S.
I had over a hundred pipes at one point (which was ridiculous given the relative infrequency of my smoking). I'm at around 30 now, mostly cobs, but some briars and a couple pear wood and maple pipes as well. I purged A LOT of my earthly possessions over the past few years, and I'm glad I did. Pretty much all of my pipes now are my favorites that I use regularly - no unused clutter. I like this more practical and utilitarian approach as opposed to buying pipes just because they look nice and never actually smoking them.
I've gone through many iterations of a storage system - which also doubles as a purchase limitation system - and finally settled on one:

I have a vintage 12-pipe rack that I bought on eBay and cleaned up. 8 spots are available for my wooden pipes, and I can't buy more than that (the only exceptions being my pear churchwarden and a briar that doesn't fit on the rack, both of which are tucked away in a long wooden box). I leave 4 spots open for any cobs I'm currently smoking to sit out and dry.
My cobs that I regularly use go into a small cabinet about 11x8x6" (more like a wooden box) with four pull-out drawers that I got at Hobby Lobby pretty cheap. Each holds 4-5 cobs depending on the size of the pipes and how I arrange them. I dedicate pipes and groups of pipes to blend types (burleys, aromatics, English, VaPer, etc) It's enough for me.
I also have a few spare cobs that I have not smoked or don't smoke regularly. They're tucked away in a Crown Royal bag plastic tote bin with my pipe cleaning accessories, awaiting the day that they be pressed into service should one of my cobs burn out, or to be given as a gift to someone who expresses an interest in trying pipes.

Long story short, I like only keeping around what I actually use, and this goes for pipes as well.
 
May 9, 2021
1,660
3,535
55
Geoje Island South Korea
I have about half that many pipes after "accumulating" them over the last 5 years.

(Not-so-)Serious question: is 15 enough? Do I need 30 to be truly happy?

But seriously though (actually seriously): 17 pipes (just counted them all) feels like more than enough.

I'm shocked that A) you had 300, and even more shocked that B) you managed to literally decimate your collection.

My wife would be proud.
Apparently, 36 is the magic number.

I heard Dr. Fred Janusek, a math professor, say that 36 was the exact number of pipes. Apparently, he'd heard it from another group of guys, who had calculated that 36 was the number.
Furthermore, even though a math professor, he didn't know where that number came from.

And by the way, even 1 pipe is enough, although I don't abide by that reckoning myself. ;)
 

greysmoke

Starting to Get Obsessed
yes, lay them out on some velvet, it would be interesting to see what survived The Great Pipe Culling ...
No red velvet falls to hand, but -- like most of us I expect -- I'm only too happy to share pictures of some of the more visually distinct pipes, since I've got them in my Google Photos anyway.

Ser Jacopo 1998 Domina (pipe of the year):
1677697571946.png

1997 Peterson Pipe of the Year (their first year)
1677697599864.png

Paul Bonaquisti (now "Bonacquisti") Canadian Prince, a commission:
1677697672226.png

Jaden Hew Len billiard from 2000:
1677697705533.png

Upshall Panel Skater:
1677697744811.png

Rony Thunér Rhodesian:
1677697759682.png

Bill Boyle Hungarian (commission):
1677697777287.png

Mark Tinsky Acorn (commission):
1677697800250.png

Trevor Talbert Ligne Bretagne (I call it "moonscape")
1677697832749.png
 

huckleberry

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 12, 2017
231
622
Kentucky
No red velvet falls to hand, but -- like most of us I expect -- I'm only too happy to share pictures of some of the more visually distinct pipes, since I've got them in my Google Photos anyway.

Ser Jacopo 1998 Domina (pipe of the year):
View attachment 206260

1997 Peterson Pipe of the Year (their first year)
View attachment 206261

Paul Bonaquisti (now "Bonacquisti") Canadian Prince, a commission:
View attachment 206262

Jaden Hew Len billiard from 2000:
View attachment 206263

Upshall Panel Skater:
View attachment 206264

Rony Thunér Rhodesian:
View attachment 206265

Bill Boyle Hungarian (commission):
View attachment 206266

Mark Tinsky Acorn (commission):
View attachment 206267

Trevor Talbert Ligne Bretagne (I call it "moonscape")
View attachment 206268
Beautiful pipes!! I especially like the Acorn! puffy
 

leonardbill1

Lifer
May 21, 2017
1,360
5,740
Denver, CO
About 10 years ago I was at 200+. Sold around 90 of them using a great eBay seller who for (I think) a 30% commission did the posts, shipped, collected the money and sent me a check for basically what I had in the pipes (I did the cleaning, but since most were pipes that I hadn't smoked much it wasn't a hard job given that I have a polishing wheel). Crept back up to 150+ since then, but nothing new in the last couple of years. There are only four pipes that are on my radar to purchase if I can ever find them. I like the themes that I've collected and the variety that I have (including a couple of mortas and a couple of meerschaums), so unlikely to sell any so long as I'm still smoking.