freakie, I think it's a sensitive point about haggling with pipe carvers. They have a lot of hours, ego, and investment in their pipes. Also, it depends on the price level and apparent demand. And finally, most of all, it depends on how skillful you are in posing your counter offer. I'd begin by mentioning two or three best features of the pipe, to show you appreciate it. Then make your counter-offer in a really low-keyed way, like "I wonder if you could accept a lower offer of "X"; I'd really like the pipe if you could." Also, you have to be gracious even if the carver acts affronted or scoffs, since many buyers will just pay the quoted or marked price. Or to deflect that, you could say, is there anything you have at my price? It's a lot of work. With artisan pipes at under $200, I'd pretty much take it or leave it as marked, since the time and materials cost that much.