Luxury Estates or Excellent New Pipes?

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mr_future

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2024
117
161
Central Texas
I had thought I preferred new pipes until a heavily used estate followed me home from a pipe show. Somehow I like that dilapidated pipe better than my sparkling new one, even with the uneven rim and out of round chamber. So maybe try both and see where you land.
 

PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,238
30,888
Hawaii
@bersekero I don’t believe this is a question you ask others, because it’s a personal choice, and only time and experience as a pipe smoker will lead you in the direction you want to go.

For me personally, wanting to buy any pipe, at any price, I wasn’t comfortable with my understanding and experience for 4 years, and I’m talking about looking and reading daily about pipes for this long too.

Why this long, because there is a massive world of pipes out there, not just factory brands, but smaller shops with maybe a few employees, or the individual artisan one person carvers.

There are a lot of great inexpensive pipes out there, just stick with nice inexpensive pipes for the next few years, until you know what there is out there, and that will take time.

When you can answer your own questions with complete confidence, you might be ready then.

Are you familiar with Deadmanspipes on eBay? This is a great place to see a good amount of different pipes on a regular basis.

Deadmanspipes eBay

Blue Room Briars also lists other carvers.


Have you read?

The Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipesmoking By Dr. Fred Hanna.

An article on Dr. Hanna


In the meantime, do yourself a favor and buy a nice French made pipe by Sebastien Beaud of Genod. Inexpensive, simple and quality…


Here’s Genod’s website in France.


Here’s an article on Sebastian of Genod.

Sebastien Beaud: Genod Pipes and the Tradition of Saint-Claude
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,335
119,818
I had thought I preferred new pipes until a heavily used estate followed me home from a pipe show. Somehow I like that dilapidated pipe better than my sparkling new one, even with the uneven rim and out of round chamber. So maybe try both and see where you land.
Of all the artisan briar and meerschaum pipes I own, I often find myself reaching for a Falcon.

20241108_142924.jpg
 

minerLuke

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 2, 2023
296
591
Vancouver BC
I solved this problem by getting both, new and estates. I have had overall pretty happy results with both. I have bought quite a few of my estate pipes through The Danish Pipe Shop and have been very pleased with them. The pipes always come fully restored and ready to smoke, so factor that in when comparing their prices to something like Ebay. They have a good selection of vintage English estates, as well as Dunhill estates as well as an excellent selection of new Dunhills. I have been extremely happy with my Dunhill's, both new and estate, they are simply fanstastic smoking pipes and well worth it, if you can afford what they are asking. Unfortunately for myself, seeing the new 2024 prices, I think I am now probably priced out of Dunhill's, unless I manage to find some great estate deal.

But if you like British pipes, I have to mention Ian Walker of Northern Briars. I have only one so far, a Rox cut (sandblast) Canadian and I am extremely pleased with it so far. For about 1/4 to 1/3 of the price of a Dunhill equivalent, you get a brand new handmade pipe with a hand cut stem. It smokes like a dream, from the first bowl it has smoked as well as one of my well broken in top quality English pipes. Like I said, I am very, very happy and I think I will be directing any future pipe purchases his way. As much as I love my Dunhill's old and new, as far as Im concerned, they can sell them all to the wealthy Asian collectors at these prices. My next pipe will be a Northern Briars.
 
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Choatecav

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2023
563
1,530
Middle Tennessee
Of all the artisan briar and meerschaum pipes I own, I often find myself reaching for a Falcon.

View attachment 349200
I have a Falcon stem and a couple of bowls. Every time I see a photo of one of these tall bowls I think, "I gotta get one of those." Then, alas, I procrastinate and don't.
That is a really pretty grain.
 

bersekero

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 29, 2023
167
310
Greece
I have a good idea of what I want but sure thing is I know exactly what I don't want. That makes decisions easier. Still even a detail is enough to make me go away. I know that I will see it all the time. The problem is that perfect things usually come with a price. However all my dunhills cost 140-180 euro except one at 225. It took me almost a year to find those five. All in excellent condition.
Now I found a perfect for me caminetto which ticks all the boxes if I broaden my price limit. I broused all caminettos at every shop and found three that are for me. Price is a major decision factor. If money was not a problem I would have found many.
I do not rush things, I just"need' more pipes.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,880
37,212
72
Sydney, Australia
I have a good idea of what I want but sure thing is I know exactly what I don't want. That makes decisions easier. I just"need' more pipes.
Lucky you - knowing what you want means you can focus on getting exactly that one piece.
The opposite is my approach to buying pipes or at a smorgasbord - ending up with a little of everything and an overflowing plate rotf
 
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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,028
50,414
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Title: Lacking capitals. Rule 9.

Here I am again.
I'd like to expand my very small collection and I am using the rotation and resting thing as an excuse to myself.
I am very fortunate to have a wife who lets me smoke inside so I can smoke as much as I like.
I like nice things and the brand affects my choices. I follow the rule less is more.
This bothers me a lot lately. Actually I want to disctract my mind from my problems.
So should I by luxury estates like dunhills or buy new but excellent like ser jacopo and radice? That is the question.
Having a legendary pipe is one thing, be the first to smoke a brand new pipe is also very attractive.
I once spent a lot for a castello and sold it in few months. I could not justify owning such a pricey pipe. I hated that ring on the stem also. I do not like complicated and too much artistic and fantasy things. I want to keep it simple. That's why dunhills appeal to me so much. Clean classic lines perfectly executed with absolutely no exaggeration.
I set a new upper limit of 200 euro for new pipes and 150 for estates.
I tend to avoid very cheap pipes. I had a few in the past and they never smoked nice. My technique sucked at that time of course.
I am vey interesting to know your philosophy about buying pipes. Not only price related but in general.
Best regards from rainy Greece.
Buy whatever you like.

I buy top quality vintage Britwood and top quality contemporary American artisan carvers. The biggest single holding are Family Era Barling pipes, some Sasienis, some Comoys, some Ben Wades, etc on the Britwoord side.

On the American artisan side I collect Scottie Piersel, Lee Von Erck, Paul Tatum, Tony Fillenwarth, and Trever Talbert. My preference with American artisans is that they display a strong individual style that appeals to me. Warmed over Danish doesn't cut it. It goes unsaid that the pipes have to be great smokers.

Since the majority of British pipes I like haven't been in production for 60+ years, I look for estates in great condition. The American artisan pipes are a mixture of barely smoked estates, new, and commissioned.

Whatever you decide to do, have fun with it and enjoy the results!
 

Choatecav

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2023
563
1,530
Middle Tennessee
Buy whatever you like.

I buy top quality vintage Britwood and top quality contemporary American artisan carvers. The biggest single holding are Family Era Barling pipes, some Sasienis, some Comoys, some Ben Wades, etc on the Britwoord side.

On the American artisan side I collect Scottie Piersel, Lee Von Erck, Paul Tatum, Tony Fillenwarth, and Trever Talbert. My preference with American artisans is that they display a strong individual style that appeals to me. Warmed over Danish doesn't cut it. It goes unsaid that the pipes have to be great smokers.

Since the majority of British pipes I like haven't been in production for 60+ years, I look for estates in great condition. The American artisan pipes are a mixture of barely smoked estates, new, and commissioned.

Whatever you decide to do, have fun with it and enjoy the results!
Jesse is right. Part of the fun is finding a great buy as an estate or at a flea market and then also planning for a particular new one that you'd love to have. Pull off all of the blinders and enjoy the ride.............
 

Ducreapa193

Lurker
Mar 24, 2024
21
76
Estates! It might be the historian in me but finding vintage and antique gems and setting them back to purpose is the most rewarding part of the hobby for me. I think that we all know how many rare and wonderful pipes are tossed in the trash by people who don’t know any better. When we take on an estate pipe we are preserving history and more importantly preserving these remarkable examples of functional art!
 

bersekero

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 29, 2023
167
310
Greece
Yes it is great fun to look for a new pipe, especially the ones that are part of pipe history. The problem is that the pipes I like from the first sight are usually expensive. Is is very easy to lose control and spend too much on a hobby. If a pipe is way too expensive it is easy to pass. But when the limit set is say 200 and this perfect pipe costs 300 then I start thinking. Is it better to buy this and not a couple of 150 each? Or should I buy that and forget about new purchases for six months etc. many questions pop up . It's surely fun looking for a new pipe but sometimes it is disappointing also.
 
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bersekero

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 29, 2023
167
310
Greece
As for estates of course I don't mind restored as somebody did a good job and spent lot of time fixing problems, usually burnt chambers and rims.
But my last purchase was problematic to say the least. A gorgeous 1/2 bent billard. Dunhill, apparently.
The pipe was smoking way too hot to the point I couldn't touch the bowl.
Lack of experience causes mistakes. I decided to detect what the problem is. I dried my tobacco more, dried lees, packed differently, slowed down the cadence, sipped less, put different tobacco, nothing helped. Untill I realized that the walls of the chamber were significantly thinner compared to my other billiards of the same brand and group size. I even broused all the same pipes new or estates to check the diameters. The conclusion was that the chamber diameter of the newly purchased pipe was 3 mm more than the standard for group 3 in which case it looks like. I bought an overreamed pipe.
Needles to say I sent it back.
That was quite disappointing. A new pipe would never have this problem. For triple the price of course.
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,335
119,818
The conclusion was that the chamber diameter of the newly purchased pipe was 3 mm more than the standard for group 3 i
Dunhill group sizes are vague and don't always indicate chamber size. It may have needed some carbon build up. This fellow, thankfully not a Dunhill, has the thinnest walls of any pipe I own and only gets warm to the touch.

20241117_021904.jpg