If You Could Only Have One Pipe

[durham270]

I face a dilemma. If you had to choose between two pipes which would it be.
An old UnSmoked GBD Virgin Dublin shape with clear Lucite stem (Brass GBD logo)
or
A Pre-Trans Hallmarked Barling T.V.F Exel Billiard with Mil. bit. (looked heavly smoked but I restore pipes, so that's no issue.)
I can't decide. Perhaps someone can help me out with this.

 

[cigrmaster]

Durham, not enough info. Are you keeping the pipe for smoking? Are you fixing them up to re sell? If both pipes are in pristine condition the Barling is worth way more than the GBD. A pristine pre trans Barling is way more valuable than any GBD, Virgin grade or not.

 

[mso489]

Based on limited information, I'd go with the Barling too, following cigrmaster's post.

 

[papipeguy]

I'm a GBD fan but I'd go with the Barling as well. More bang for the buck. Leave the GBD for Al.

 

[philobeddoe]

Since I have never cared for perspex stems, I would choose the Barling. Pre-trans Barlings have a stellar reputation as well.

 

[durham270]

Here's the images which are not mine. The pipe will be for my personal collection. I think the Barling is the way to go. It will take some restoring. The GBD has never been smoked. I'd like to have them both but budget only allows one.
GBD, unsmoked

Barling, it's going to require some work for sure but still it's in a good shape.

Thanks guys for the help!

 

[agnosticpipe]

Ok, now for sure go with the Barling! Much more history and quality as far as I'm concerned. But then, even though I like GBDs I'm not a perspex stem fan, so my opinion is a little biased. Buy both and sell something else later to cover the cost. (that's what I always tell my wife) :roll:

 

[irish]

Go with the Barling for the military mount alone!! Much less the value involved and I bet that Barling is a smoker!! ::

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Barling, hands down.

 

[sablebrush52]

First of all, that is NOT a Pre-Trans Barling. That said, it may be a wonderful pipe based on when it was made. What is the hallmark year? Have you any pictures of the rim and chamber?
The GBD looks like a cool pipe. Personally, I would probably opt for the GBD. But I also own a number of Barlings from all periods and no GBD's. So it would be a matter of curiosity for me.
I do have a Barling billard like the one pictured, from 1956, and it is one of my favorite pipes. If your pipe is early enough, chances are that its' going to be just as good as Family Era pipe.

 

[derfargin]

Take a coin, assign a heads and tails to each of the pipes in question. Now, remember those assignments. ONE toss and ONE toss only decides it, flip the coin, and while the coin is in the air you'll notice you'll be wishing for one side to win. The pipe assigned to that side of the coin is the one YOU really want.

 

[durham270]

Thanks Sable for the info and everyone.
The band seems to be hallmarked with a Lion Passant, Uncrowned Leopard for London and date letter possibly small "q" contained within square with canted corners probably for 1971?
So, the Barling is not a Pre-Trans and not as collectable and not worth that much after all? What type of value would this pipe hold? From reading at Pipedia I was under the impression these would be called Pre-Trans.
(Barling, 5107 T.V.F. Excel)

 

[sablebrush52]

Hi Durham,
I wrote the Pipedia page. As I wrote, a Pre_Transition, or family era Barling has a block letter "Barling's Make" logo. The lettering is arranged on two lines with the word "Barling's" in an arch over the word "Make".
The common exception is the Guinea Grain grade, which uses a script logo. But, that logo has an apostrophe and an "s" so that is says "Barling's" in script. There are a couple of rare, super duper rare exceptions where there is a script "Barling" with no apostrophe and no "s" and these are filter system pipes, the Piplet and the Tro-Tube.
After the family stepped down (or were pushed out) the logo was remade. The later logo features a script "Barling" with words "London England" underneath.
From a collectible standpoint, the later pipes are not collectible. However, they are often damned good pipes. Collectors often seem to pay for stamps more than anything else.

 

[profpar]

My fln freehand is by far my favorite

 

[neverbend]

This Barling has already sold and I've been corresponding about it with someone over the past few days.
Sablebrush is correct that this pipe is after the Family Era (not a pre-transition). The seller lists it as a 1971 based on a 'q' hallmark but it has characteristics of earlier post-Family Era Barlings and the hallmark may actually be a 'g' (1962). The stem is damaged in a manner that suggests that it was exposed to heat and then it was chewed (dog?). I was an under bidder on this pipe mostly as a curiosity.
Personally I don't like Dublins or Perspex but if you do the GBD might suit (I didn't see this listing).

 

[allan]

I wrote the Pipedia page.

Is there anything that you haven't done?
Im very impressed with all of your accomplishments
You are quite a talented guy

 

[skapunk1]

NO.....that is all

 

[sablebrush52]

Is there anything that you haven't done?

Well...I haven't sky dived from outer space, or walked on water, or acquired more tobacco than ether Harris or Peck. Other than that?...

 

[mso489]

From the headline on this post, I thought it was, if you could only have one kind of pipe in your rotation,

and that questions kept haunting me, and I decided it would be a straight billiard of some kind, maybe

a Johs or Chacom.

 

[wilson]

I'd vote for the Barling, but only because I'm not a Dublin fan.