A lot of collectors don't know shit from shinola. They know a brand name. They know it's considered a good thing to buy that brand name. And...their knowledge doesn't go much deeper than that. With Barlings I can spot a non Barling factory made replacement stem about 95% of the time. The other 5% were made by George Dibos or RonnieB.I enjoy collecting old Ben Wade pipes and I was observing this one below to see how high the auction would go:
Rare Cased 1902 BEN WADE Antique Block MEERSCHAUM & SILVER Estate Pipe Pipa 烟斗 | eBay
There is a shallow layer of carbon in the chamber. The maker's mark "BW " is again stamped on the silver ferrule above three hallmarks for England, Chester, 1902. Air flows through the pipe freely.www.ebay.com
I think that, for my tastes anyway, I find it difficult to muster enthusiasm for an old pipe like this if I know it has an "off" replacement stem (for example). I'm sort of a stickler for detail and the stem would be something of an eyesore. I think if I bought something like this it would have to factor in the cost of the eventual repair, so really I'd be paying for a stummel and the case.
I bring this up now because there's an ongoing auction for a similar pipe with a stem that very obviously doesn't match the pipe (i.e. not flush, not threaded) and the auction price is going significantly higher than I would have imagined. I wonder how many of the bidders realize it's not an original stem, and how many know and don't care or are planning to repair the pipe.
As for the cost of recreating a unique antique stem with sterling fitments, the answer is, bend over, spread your cheeks, and open your wallet wide. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. A couple of years ago I looked into having a couple of dents tapped out on one of my Barling motor domes. I asked RonnieB, at that time widely regarded as the best restorer on planet earth, who he would recommend to do the work, since Ronnie didn't do silver work. His recommendation was someone who did museum quality restoration work of sterling and other historic jewelry.
When I worked in the jewelry business we tapped out dents for our clientele mostly for free. If I'd had access to a jeweler's bench and the correct sets of tools I'd have done it myself. So I wasn't quite expecting the estimate for tapping out two small dents, which ended up being far more than the market value of the pipe. For the time being, the pipe can keep its dents.
So imagine paying for the work involved in creating a threaded sterling mount in the late Victorian style. Or maybe don't imagine it.
Not all collectors are fussy. They don't care if their toys are less than perfect and whole. They love their imperfect toys just as much, or maybe more.
I've seen truly capricious behavior on ebay, prices that are beyond irrational. People get into bidding duels and their balls get in the way of their brains.
This is my long winded way of saying, no, a lot of bidders/collectors don't consider anything more than the glittering bauble in front of them and how important it is to obtain it.
