Sasieni Four Dot Ashford Natural (Unsmoked)

[ssjones]

I fell prey to this unsmoked Ashford Natural that some of us were watching There was a little scramble at the end and I put in my only bid with 10 seconds to go. I added $2 to my max bid for an odd number, and won the pipe by $2. I decided that I could get this one, if I was willing to sell a few others.
The pipe is indeed unsmoked. NOS pipes aren't always in pristine condition and many accumulate knocks and dings over the years. Fortunately, this one is mint on all accounts, including the pale blue stem dots.
This one replaced a smoked (but in outstanding condition) Ashford Walnut which was sold to fund the purchase. This Natural is a wee bit longer and shaped more like a Comoys 256 than my other Ashfords (Rustic and Ruff Root). The Natural weighs 43 grams (Rustic is 38,Ruff Root 41).
Now the challenge, do I smoke it? In the related thread, I said unsmoked over $300 would be pause for consideration. I have two in this shape that I enjoy, so I'll let this one remain a virgin for the time being. Perhaps a life event, retirement, grandchild, etc. might cause me to strike a match. In the meantime, it sure is pretty to look at.

 

[bungee]

Nice haul Al! But did you really get it just to look at it? 300, 3000, who cares. Treat yourself to a smoke!
Cheers,
J

 

[dixie]

Beautiful! Congrats on the win. I agree with your descision to hold for a special day. Enjoy SS!

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Nice pipe Al. You are on a roll. I am proud to own your hand-me-downs.

 

[davet]

Beautiful, wonderful shape. I would have a hard time deciding to smoke it or not.

 

[bungee]

Please don't get me wrong Al. I was just being my usual self. I could not, for the life of me, own a beautiful and sexy pipe like that and allow it to remain a virgin for very long...
Congrats on the fine bounty!
J

 

[sablebrush52]

It is a conundrum with vintage pipes. Unsmoked vintage pipes from top makers are a true rarity. There's something wonderful about a pipe from long, long ago that is exactly as the maker finished it. It's like a moment of time travel. And, the value only goes up.
Once it's smoked, the rarity is gone, that pristine connection to the maker is gone, and it's just another used pipe.
I'm primarily a smoker, not a collector. But I really enjoy my few unsmoked vintage pieces. I have plenty of great pipes that I smoke.

It's a different kind of pleasure.

 

[ssjones]

This one isn't nearly as old as that incredible pair, but the sentiment is the same.
@peck: I had a hard time packing that one up and did it quickly, before I could change my mind.

 

[georged]

That's the best score I've seen in a while. Not just a cool & rare shape for the brand, but an outstanding specimen overall. Nice wood, nice stem work & bend, evenly spaced dots, drilled spot-on, etc.
Good job!
As for whether or not to smoke it, if you have to ask it means you don't really want to. So don't. Just set it aside to admire from time to time as a mood lifter, or just because.
Then, one day, you'll (very probably) hear a voice in your head that says, "OK... all the coolvibe that can be extracted via static admiration has been extracted, and it's time to move on to the dynamic phase. It's time to light this baby up!"
And it will feel exactly right when you do, and you'll be glad that you did. No regrets.
How do I know? I brought home a painfully perfect-gorgeous Asteriou billiard from Chicago this past Spring, and it went down just that way. I had zero intention of EVER smoking it---it was just too nice---then one day it gave me permission. (telepathically, of course... pipes don't have mouths, lungs, and all that other stuff. Duh.) Encouraged me, in fact.
And I did. No muss, no fuss, no ceremony. I simply started smoking it. Added it to my rotation.
A hundred or so bowls on, and boy howdy am I GLAD I did. It's a wonderful, reliable smoke. (I suspect it is repaying me for the respect and appreciation implied by my earlier hesitation and restraint.)
PS --- Jesse's cased set is a whole different animal for a number of reasons. Any collector---even one with Bill Gates' money---would have trouble lighting up that time-capsule pair!

 

[davet]

Vintage Pipe Porn, you guys are a bad influence. Vintage and unsmoked are so very tempting but luckily for my wallet I've stayed with Linkman's and Grabows. Those are truly beautiful pieces.

 

[buroak]

I am glad you got that pipe, Al. As to your question, I have a cased pair of BBB Own Make Ultima Thule pipes. Both are unsmoked and still have their "hygienic quills in the airway. So far I have not been able to bring myself to smoke them, or even remove the oxidation on the portions of the stems that sit above the bed of the case. I simply get the case out every now and again and admire them.

 

[gloucesterman]

That set is incredible. When you own a set like that you become the custodian of history. Unsmoked examples of long out of production lines are almost non-existent, spoiling a set like that would be a capital crime. There are more than enough smoked pipes out there for us to enjoy. The few virgins that exist should be granted the same protection as fine art. Nice to know that set is in thoughtful hands. I have a couple of unsmoked pre-Codogan GBDs and they will remain that way, not because they are very valuable but because the are unspoiled examples of the marque. Some things should be preserved for tomorrow. Owning an unsmoked piece of pipe history qualifies you to be their caretaker for the moment.

 

[buroak]

Thanks Gloucesterman. The man from whom I bought the pipe also had a set of four cased BBB Best Make Ultima Thule pipes. I would have loved to buy that set, but he wanted, entirely appropriately, a very hefty sum for them.
I am not sure why my pictures rotated 90 degrees when I uploaded them.

 

[danielplainview]

Holy moly! That's a beaut. You can always wait to smoke it at a later date, and marvel at it's beauty while choosing to smoke the other 3 or 4 pipes in your rotation.
Congrats SS.

 

[jvnshr]

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,

If you can't smoke an unsmoked old pipe, send it to me please. I will smoke it with a great pleasure. Nice pipe by the way.

 

[pitchfork]

Outstanding. Congrats, Al.

 

[ssjones]

Thanks guys. I'll employ George D's strategy and know when the time is right. This one is not from the turn of the century,nor a patent number Sasieni, so I won't feel too guilty when the time comes. I will have to box it up, to keep it out of the sunlight (hopefully that lessens the temptation as well).
Two other unsmoked Ashfords sold at the same time (Rustic & Walnut). Those went for considerably less, to my surprise. Someone got a nice deal on those.

 

[gloucesterman]

Al, a little food for thought. You are right, it's not a hundred year old unsmoked pipe but smoke it and it will never get the chance to become that.

 

[voorhees]

Al, I'll smoke it if you won't. Nice pipe.

 

[mso489]

Impressive pipe. When you have a number of pipes, it makes the calculation on smoking or not smoking more subtle. Maybe this one can be visual art for now, and either serve a moment of celebration, as you suggest, or became a game piece for a future acquisition. For folks with fewer pipes and fewer choices, that would be the pinnacle of a pipe rack for sure.