Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I was hoping you’d stop by. I was wondering the same things.

I’d be curious to know if this bowl/stem combo was a cataloged item.


Mystery solved. This is NOT THE ORIGINAL STEM. IT'S NOT THE CORRECT STEM. It's not ANYTHING like what was originally on the pipe. That's why it doesn't fit, and probably why the shank got cracked. Some brain donor created a "Frankenpipe".
I located an image of this model in the 150th Anniversary Catalog. For those of you who have a copy, the new model number is 5264 and it's listed on the page for pots, page 32 at the bottom. The original stem is straight and about equal in length to the stummel.
For anybody wondering how I know that Nichols number 235 and model 5264 are the same, I have a very useful document, published by Diversy Machinworks, then Barling's new distributor, that was sent to all of their dealers in the US and which contains a columned list of model numbers, the old 4 digit, the Nichols US numbers, and the new 4 digit numbering system that appears in the 150th Anniversary Catalog, all lined up. The 235 is the 5264.

And somebody just dropped $740 on a Frankenpipe.
 

Puffaluffaguss

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2021
642
2,099
32
The City Different
Man poor guy, when the person who won this receives it I hope they realize the Inconsistencies and try to get some of the cash back. The shank is one thing but parts from a completely different pipe is kinda foolish even if you don't know pipes like most eBay sellers claim. You gotta notice things ain't right with this thing and make it known to the people bidding. Just my thoughts.
 
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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Man poor guy, when the person who won this receives it I hope they realize the Inconsistencies and try to get some of the cash back. The shank is one thing but parts from a completely different pipe is kinda foolish even if you don't know pipes like most eBay sellers claim. You gotta notice things ain't right with this thing and make it known to the people bidding. Just my thoughts.
The seller didn't try to hid the damage, which makes the bid all the more odd. It's possible that the seller didn't know that hte stem wasn't original, but SOMEONE screwed it up. Partial refunds are frowned upon by eBay. It will be more a matter of unwinding the sale completely.

For the buyer, the issue may be that the seller didnt make any attempt to hide the damage or the bad fit. Buyers' remorse isn't an accepted reason for undoing a transaction. It's possible that the buyer is stuck. It's also possible that the buyer doesn't care. The whole thing is just plain odd.
 

Puffaluffaguss

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2021
642
2,099
32
The City Different
The seller didn't try to hid the damage, which makes the bid all the more odd. It's possible that the seller didn't know that hte stem wasn't original, but SOMEONE screwed it up. Partial refunds are frowned upon by eBay. It will be more a matter of unwinding the sale completely.

For the buyer, the issue may be that the seller didnt make any attempt to hide the damage or the bad fit. Buyers' remorse isn't an accepted reason for undoing a transaction. It's possible that the buyer is stuck. It's also possible that the buyer doesn't care. The whole thing is just plain odd.
Lol I realized that when I said it. If the seller felt bad at all there are other ways to make it right. But I can say that maby the buyer is so rich he/she don't care. Like you said Sable very strange ?
 
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Feb 12, 2022
3,404
46,940
31
North Georgia mountains.
Mystery solved. This is NOT THE ORIGINAL STEM. IT'S NOT THE CORRECT STEM. It's not ANYTHING like what was originally on the pipe. That's why it doesn't fit, and probably why the shank got cracked. Some brain donor created a "Frankenpipe".
I located an image of this model in the 150th Anniversary Catalog. For those of you who have a copy, the new model number is 5264 and it's listed on the page for pots, page 32 at the bottom. The original stem is straight and about equal in length to the stummel.
For anybody wondering how I know that Nichols number 235 and model 5264 are the same, I have a very useful document, published by Diversy Machinworks, then Barling's new distributor, that was sent to all of their dealers in the US and which contains a columned list of model numbers, the old 4 digit, the Nichols US numbers, and the new 4 digit numbering system that appears in the 150th Anniversary Catalog, all lined up. The 235 is the 5264.

And somebody just dropped $740 on a Frankenpipe.
That's pretty astronomical for a pipe in that condition. Hell, that's high for a pipe in general. Some of these auctions are just baffling. Did a little digging based on your info and in fact, this stem is nothing like the original. Just wow
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,404
46,940
31
North Georgia mountains.
All is not lost… it’s back!

Barling's Make Ye Olde Wood Special TVF (235) Bent Pot Family Era (Unsmoked!!)

I would not normally comment on any live auctions, but this particular pipe has generated some fascination here so I thought it may be of unique interest to the group.
Happy bidding!
I wouldn't be surprised if the winner of the auction came across this thread after winning and decided to either cancel or not pay for the item. Or just realized what a mistake they made by bidding that high. You'd be a fool to have paid that price for this pipe.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
The bidding on this round is kind of interesting. We have a type of bidder I refer to as a "creeper" THey bid in tiny amounts, anywhere from a couple of buck to $10 increments, bid after bid, until they top the current high bid. Often they get immediately outbid and they start creeping again, bid after bid after bid, until they top the next top. Over and over and over again.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,832
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
So, the unsmoked Barling with the frankenpipe stemming went back up for auction with a slightly different result from the first auction. Instead of $740, the pipe went for this:

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,055
60
Vegas Baby!!!
So, the unsmoked Barling with the frankenpipe stemming went back up for auction with a slightly different result from the first auction. Instead of $740, the pipe went for this:

You mean to say that all that verbal lubricating didn’t ease the fact that a cracked shank and replacement stem still couldn’t be jammed up someone’s ass?