Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes

[sablebrush52]

The pipe was made in '81, but the LXXV is latin for 75. Any ideas? Dunhills 75th was in 1985.

Clearly an aftermarket customization by Dunhill for the client. Otherwise they would have placed the stampings differently where the COM stamp is placed. I'd bet on a 75th wedding anniversary. Were it a company gift there would have been something engraved on the band to signify that. It's pretty spectacular in all regards.

 

[jguss]

I think a 75th birthday is much more likely. The number of men who live to 75 is almost infinitely higher than the number who make it to a 75th wedding anniversary. As at least an indication of plausibility, if you believe Wikipedia (a big "if", I know), there are less than 50 couples known to have been married 80 years or more. I'm not saying the owner of this pipe couldn't have beaten the odds (if that's what you want to call it), just that it's a lot less likely than celebrating a 75th birthday.
However, for the truly curious the seller says the pipe was a family piece, and offers more background information to interested bidders.

 

[sablebrush52]

Here's an interesting auction that just concluded on eBay. The pipe is a 1957 Barling 249, one of their best shapes and as you can see in the pictures, it's in excellent unrestored condition. I own one of these, in mint condition, and it is one of my "desert island" pipes, just a superb smoking instrument. I did bid on this pipe but was unwilling to go much more than what I spent on the one that I have. I've seen three of these come up for auction over the past 10 years and all of them date to 1956 thru 1957, which leaves me wondering if this model was only offered for a relatively short span of time.
The bidding history is interesting in that the pipe jumped in price by over $100 in the last 6 seconds of the auction due to sniping by several different bidders. The competitors didn't bid outrageously high, or they ran out of time, so the pipe closed at a reasonable price, a good sale for the seller, and a good price for the buyer. This is one of those rare occasions where eBay worked in a reasonable fashion.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/estate-pipe-Barling-039-s-Make-Ye-Olde-Wood-249-T-V-F-made-in-England-ExEL-/372106021259?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=T78%252B9KpJudwrY%252BG3OygVilRgrvw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[jpmcwjr]

Could also commemorate his first $75,000,000.

 

[ssjones]

Boy, I'd love to see that Barling restored, that's quite a grain pattern.

 

[sablebrush52]

Boy, I'd love to see that Barling restored, that's quite a grain pattern.

Yes it is. I'm surprised that it wasn't graded a Special. Mine is.

 

[dmcmtk]

I'm surprised that it wasn't graded a Special.

Indeed, a very nice olde pipe!

 

[ssjones]

This one went a lot higher than I expected. An unsmoked, 1979 Comoy's Christmas pipe. The seller said it had the 3 piece drilled C logo (most Christmas pipes have stamped logos), but I couldn't pick that up from the photos. It had a couple of serious handling dings and what looked like perhaps a fill.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-1979-Comoy-Comoys-Christmas-Pipe-No-Reserve/282703681480?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&autorefresh=true

 

[jpmcwjr]

 

[mawnansmiff]

Al, I would say you're correct about the three piece 'c'.
I notice the seller has a slew of Comoy Christmas pipes for sale, all unsmoked!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ssjones]

This was pretty interesting. I've seen these table pipes, but I can't recall seeing a Dunhill.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ENGLISH-ESTATE-PIPE-DUNHILL-SHELL-034-TABLE-034-or-034-BED-SIDE-034-PIPE-c-1930s-039-50s-/362138643961?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=eRjkQZWJwY2FU9JEwSoMi5bi6GE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
33 bids, $850 from the victor.

 

[ssjones]

This looks like one of the classic "undergraded" Charatans. This example was only graded a Special, the left side grain is impressive, the opposite not so much.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LANE-ERA-CHARATANS-MAKE-PIPE-SPECIAL-360-STRAIGHT-GRAIN/391914070841?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Al, the highest feedback rating of everybody who bid $70 or over is a statospheric 34. The winner has a feedback rating of 1. Odds on a relisting?
Nice pipe though.

 

[sablebrush52]

Looking at the bid history, the winner clearly wanted this pipe. He kept up a running duel over a six day period.

 

[ssjones]

A couple of fun ones ended this weekend.
My buddy nabbed this excellent Sasieni Danzey, so I'll get to restore it. We both thought it would go higher.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sasieni-Four-Dot-Danzey-sXS-bent-bulldog-family-era-Great-condition/142565234737?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Another 499 going for a very high price. Given the condition, someone wanted this one very badly, given the condition.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Comoys-Extraordinaire-London-Made-499-Estate-Pipe/302517528367?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

This early year, Ashton Straight Grain did pretty well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ASHTON-SG-2-STRAIGHT-GRAIN-PIPE-UNSMOKED-1988/382267931946?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[dmcmtk]

Comoy's 499

Given the condition, someone wanted this one very badly...

?
Al, not sure what you mean by that. I'd say for its age it was in excellent condition.

 

[ssjones]

I thought that the bowl top was a little beat up, but on second glance, it's not that bad.

 

[dmcmtk]

Oldest of the three 499's in this thread. Notice the LONDON MADE COM mark.

 

[sablebrush52]

This one was worth watching:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BARLING-STRAIGHT-GRAIN-3-PIPE-SET-PRE-TRANSITIONAL-INCREDIBLE-BILLIARDS-LIGHT-WE-/232553787440?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=T78%252B9KpJudwrY%252BG3OygVilRgrvw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

A cased set of 3 Barling straight grains
Price seemed quite high, probably China euphoria driving this dream of avarice. And, it didn't sell.
The straight grains are all in great condition and are all Canadians, so three factors making this a particularly desirable collectors set. For Barling straight grains, these are pretty decent mid level straight graining. I've seen much worse, and I seen much better. $1600 per pipe? Get real.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I was perusing pipes on the bay, when I saw this rather ordinary billiard. I have no idea what this pipe is, but I thought the stamping was interesting as it seems to indicate a date similar to the way Dunhills are dated. It sold for about $35. Any brit-wood fans have any thoughts?