Recommendations for investment pipes?

[hiplainsdrifter]

I am interested in rebuilding a pipe collection that I have had whittled down to two during the last 5 years. In my first round of pipe collecting, I had a dozen or so, but most were not worth much. This go around I would like to buy pipes that will accrue in value over the years- or at least hold their value. Does anyone have a recommendation on what to keep my eye out for, and what to avoid? I do like real calabashes and Danish makes, which seem like good options. Ideas?

 

[pstlpkr]

You might consider Claudio Cavicchi's pipes.

They are a bit up scale... worth every penny.

The problem is no one I know of has ever sold one.

Once you own some you simply will not sell them... or even think about selling them.

 

[aussielass]

To justify my colletion, I tell those trying to put the kybosh on it for financial reasons that every last one is an "investment pipe", and I genuine believe this if you stick to known brands and restore/rejuvenate them. I think it would also be prudent to procure some from up and coming carvers who're yet to make a name for themselves but are already clearly creating stunning works of art and masterpieces (winks at M).

 

[pjm03fatboy]

If you did not want to spend as much on dunhills & Ashton , you could try the Sherlock homes series from peterson i have there series and on ebay they seem to bring a nice price!! when watching some on there!!

 

[bigvan]

I agree with Bob. As for Ashtons, for investment purposes you want to look for the Bill Taylor era pipes; they're easy enough to identify as they're NOT marked with a "JC" as the current Jim Craig-made pipes are. This is not a criticism of Jim's pipes. On the contrary, they're outstanding. They just don't have the collectibility that the early ones do (at least not yet).
As for Dunhills, obviously the older they are the more collectible they are. Upshall and Ferndown are other excellent Brit pipes, but lately they don't seem to be holding their value. Pre transition Barlings are always collectible.
I'm not much of an expert on Scandinavian pipes, but as Bob mentioned, Bo Nordh will always have value, but you're going to spend a lot to get your hands on one.
I'm currently collecting North American carvers, and in addition to the carvers Bob mentioned, I think Jeff Gracik (J. Allen), Michael Parks, JT Cooke, and Larry Rousch have been holding their value quite well. At the most recent Chicago show, Todd Johnson had his pipes marked at $1800 and up and they ALL SOLD. If you can find a Todd Johnson pipe for less than $500, BUY IT.
I also like a lot of the up and coming carvers like Russ Cook, Jack Howell, Joe Nelson (Old Nellie pipes), Thomas James, Adam Remington and Charles Cole. They're moderately expensive now, but in the next few years I'd bet they're going UP.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[papipeguy]

Before you go nuts spending a ton of money here's the 2010 pipe survey conducted by this site.
http://pipesmagazine.com/Pipe-Smoker-Survey-2010.pdf
Specifically, look at the % of people who spent over $500 for a pipe. Very small population. Like exotic cars, guitars and anything else you must be aware of the vagaries of the market."Buy low, sell high" is not just a trite truism. Investing in colectibles can be a hairy experience.

Good luck and have fun, but don't bet the farm.

 

[zanthal]

I've decided I'll be making my own next pipe.
If you're looking to get the most for your money, I suggest finding some well cared for estate pipes. Ebay has TONS of them, and some of the big online tobacco and pipe retailers restore estate pipes to re-sell, I know P&C is one of them.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Good advice on the estates- esp. if I wanted to smoke this hypothetical collection, it would be a lot more justifiable to smoke a nice estate than a nice new pipe. However, I have noticed that at least for things that I have been eyeing, some estates go for as much as 75 percent of a comparable new pipe. Perhaps that means I am looking at the right ones. Lots of nice high end stuff out there, but I am thinking I would largely be limited to stuff under 200. I know that might eliminate a lot of the better keepers.
I also agree with learning the vagaries of the market. I have been collecting late model powder skis for the last few years- fun collection, but they depreciate awfully so you have to flip things quickly. I am hoping switching focus to pipes might be a bit more solid.

 

[unclearthur]

Most high end lines have good resale. There are some custom makers who have taken off in a big way in the last few years and their work is now commanding fantastic prices.

 

[maxpeters]

I don't agree. I don't believe that pipes are a good investment. There are exceptions. Certain Danish makers, patent numbered Dunhills, Magnum Dunhill's etc, as well as some artisan pipes like Butera, can bring you a good bit more than you paid for them, but most pipes will loose too much value over the years.
It seems to me that some old time collectors are turning loose their Dunhill's, Charatans, Comoy's, Barlings, and Sasieni's to put their money into new Danish pipes such as Chonowitsch, Bang and older Iversson's and Nordh.
These seem to be the hot thing at present. But when collectors were buying the old English pipes and setting them aside for future profit, they were the hottest thing.
If you look on Ebay, and other pipe for sale sites, pipes are not fetching very high prices. I picked up 6 high grade Charatans last year from private collectors for hundreds of dollars each, when I'm sure at one time they were bringing many times that. Two were unsmoked. I think that they are worth what I paid for them, but not worth what I used to see them go for.
I have yet to purchase a Chonowitsch or a Knudsen pipe because I refuse to pay collector prices for something that I can get in older high grade English or Italian pipes, that are no longer the hottest thing. Excellent workmanship using the best materials available at the time.
Of course the Chonowitsch, Knudsen and Eltang are artisan pipes, and not a factory made, but come on. It's a pipe or Christ sakes. Meant to be smoked, not put away in a safe just so you feel smug, and bragg about what you own. And when these are no longer the hottest thing? What? Try to sell them off just to go after what is at the time?

There are some Russian makers that are attracting a lot of collector interest at present.
I guess you didn't want to hear this rant, but it's a sore topic with me. How much is too much to pay for something that is supposedly made to bring you pleassure by smoking it? I don't know. But I for one refuse to play the game. At least where pipes are concerned.
I say buy what pipes you like, but at least smoke them. Don't buy a pipe like you would a piece of jewelery to put in a safe and hope it appreciates.

 

[lonestar]

I agree with a lot of what Maxpeters says, but I would disagree just a bit.

For one thing, I think high end pipes are selling really low right now because of the economy in general.

To me, that means it IS the time to add some high end pipes.

I agree that Danish pipes are whats hot, for good reason though. They're fegging beautiful.

I'd say buy used if you plan to smoke them, no reason to take the hit on new prices.

Buy what you like, when the price is low, and take good care of them.

I think in a few years when the economy comes back, that investment could pay off.

Personally though, I just see it as an oppurtunity to buy some amazing pipes right now for less than they cost a few years ago, or a few years down the road.

I've added Tsuges, Bangs, Larsens and Charatans over the last year and a half. I never owned higher end pipes in the past, all I can say is they are amazing. I wish I had started collecting with these pipes instead of spending the same money on lots of cheaper pipes. Right now is the time to grab a few high dollar pieces cheaply.

 

[pipeinhand]

I agree with Maxpeters to a large part. In one case I will stray and that is Meershaum. Some of these pipes are carved art and demand a high price. (Fred, jump in any time) I think unlike briar they will appeal to a larger set of people that collect and hold a firm price.

 

[bigvan]

pipeinhand, I disagree about meerschaums. Using pipe shows as an example, there are FAR more briars going for high dollars (over $500) than meers. From what I've seen (and I admit I'm no meer expert)it looks like meers top out at a few hundred (exceptions for the really HUGE meers, of course). And there doesn't seem to be a lot of business in resale of meers based on what I've seen at pipe shows and on ebay.
This is not meant as an insult to meers, but in the high end pipe world EVERYBODY knows the names Bo Nordh, S. Bang, JT Cooke and Todd Johnson, but I couldn't name similarly priced meer carvers.

 

[batdemon]

My thoughts on this are the same as they are on other works of art, be it paintings, sculptures, what have you,is to buy something you like. That way no matter if the value goes up or down, you have something that you like and enjoy. I am one who doesn't get the idea of buying a pipe and locking it up in hopes that it will appreciate in value. When I buy a pipe you can bet your life I'm gonna smoke it. That's what it's for.

I'm a guitarist also, and have a modest guitar collection. Guitars are functional works of art, like pipes. I have never bought, and never will buy, a guitar that I didn't like just for it's value. I play all of my guitars. I smoke all my pipes. This is just my take on it. ::

 

[daveinlax]

I would never buy a pipe as an investment. Collect what you love and can afford. I've only sold a couple of pipes for more than I've paid, those were Danish estates that I carefully smoked for 10 to 15 years before I sold them. 8O

 

[buzkirk]

No one has mentioned Ardor, I have bought a few and sold a few, made money every time, the one I have now is an exceptional pipe Ardor Giove 2003, I bought it for $225, and have a standing offer of $325.00
Tom

 

[portascat]

If you want to buy something to enjoy, and that holds its value well over the long term, look at Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Smoke your pipes like they were gonna be gone tomorrow.

 

[salewis]

First, any pipe maker even the Danes are not a good investment. That said, there are some like Chanowitch, Eltang, Former, Ivarsson and S. Bang that you can pay a current fortune for, can't smoke that may go up in value in a few years. If you choose to invest in the Danish pipe a listed ensure that you have a hardy bank account. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy your collection stick with Rad Davis, Cavicchi, Fernwell, some Ashtons, some Castellos and various up and coming American and European carvers. Finally, don't fool yourself into beleiving that these are really going to an investment with a capital "I".

 

[jpberg]

I can't think of a pipe that I would buy strictly as an investment.

 

[hnryclay]

I can't justify owning a pipe I would not smoke, a fly rod I would not fish or a shot gun that I would not shoot, no matter the cost.