So, My Wife Bought Me Genuine Gandalf and Frodo Pipes for Christmas.

[exibar]

So, my wife bought me two pipes for Christmas (along with my Mother in law getting me to exquisite Meerschaum pipes, but that's another thread!). The genuine Lord of the rings Gandalf and Frodo pipes are the two pipes in question. They are beautifully hand made pipes from the lord of the rings "functional replica pipes". The Gandalf pipe has a larger than usual bowl, but none the less they are beautiful pipes.
I'd love to add them into my rotation, or perhaps smoke them once in a while on special occasions, however, they were quite expensive running $110 each and they are potential collector's items with the boxes and all that.
My question to you fine folks, would you pack your favorite tobacco and smoke these pipes? Or only display them? She did purchase them for me to smoke, however I don't want to destroy any value they may have by doing so.
Does anyone own one of these and have smoked it?
thanks all!

Mike B

 

[jmatt]

Smoke 'em!!!!

 

[lightmybriar]

My stepfather has one but he doesn't smoke. Looks very cool, though. If it were me, I'd smoke them.

 

[philobeddoe]

You should enjoy them as they were intended, fill them up and puff away!

 

[tarheel1]

If it is a real pipe smoke it with a quality tobacco.

 

[tuold]

Smoke them. If you decide to sell them some day you can say they were actually smoked by Gandalph and Frodo. That kind of provenance should add at least another $10.00 to the price =)
Seriously though, $110 is not a lot to spend on a pipe. Think of the enjoyment you will gain by smoking it. Will it be worth any loss of value as a collectible? That's the main question.

 

[carver]

I'd definitely smoke them. I've been wanting to buy a Gandalf "Functional replica" many times !!

Go for it!

 

[jazz]

Fill with leaf, apply fire and enjoy.
I understand the term "expensive" is relative but honestly, as tuold mentioned, $110 is not a lot for a pipe. Enjoy it for what it was meant for.

 

[reniaeats]

I would find out what they are made of before you smoke them. If they're briar, then smoke away. $110 isn't a bad price at all. The LOTR replica pipes by Vauen are well over $200 and worth every penny. I'd say, at the price point and if it's briar, it's well worth the risk to enjoy the experience.

 

[ember]

I think the answer lies in whether the pipes look to be truly functional and able to hold up to being smoked. I was looking at some of these pipes on the net and by the looks of some of what I seen from the pics I would be hesitant.. Some just look like for display only even though they say functional .. Functional is the key word there .. Is it because the stem comes off or you can hold it in your hand or is it functional to smoke ?.. When it comes to collectables and licensed items like a Die cast car they say functional but thats only because you can open the doors and hood ... you still can drive it though ... So again if you think it can hold up to a smoke Then do it and as far as resale valuIe if unsmoked well they make so many of these types of things how much can it gain in value really

 

[pappymac]

Check to see what material the pipes are made from. Some replica's I've seen are made from briar and go anywhere from $100 and up. MacQueen has been making these type pipes for a few years but most of his are either white ash or cherry and are priced on his website for under $75. They are smokeable also.
Either way, I think you are over valuing the "functional replica" pipes as collector items. It's like buying stuff from the Franklin Mint, they are pretty to look at but when they make 50 or 60 thousand of them, they are not that special.

 

[tslex]

As for me, I don't own any pipes I won't smoke. I suppose I can see that making sense for the very highest order of collectible pipes (a Sixten Ivaarsen, say), but even then, I think there's something a bit sad about a pipe that doesn't get smoked. Like a teddy bear no one loves. Or something.

 

[deathmetal]

This listing claims they're real:

Officially licensed exact replica of the pipe used by Gandalf in the film. Fully functional pipe made of the finest briar-wood with acrylic bit with detachable stem.
http://www.lotrfanshop.com/lotrshop/pipes/officialgandalfpipe.asp?ReturnPage=/lotrshop/pipes.asp

 

[michaelmirza]

How would Gandalf answer your question?

 

[exibar]

They are the Noble collection pipes.... Looks like $69 each, $110 was an ebay price I saw...
they appear to be lined with a black protection of some sort, and perhaps made of cherry or some other hardwood... the stems do not detach on either.
one is the Bilbo pipe (not Frodo as I thought), and the other is the Gandalf pipe... both are made well, and look great

 

[michiganlover]

The placement of the draft hole gives me serious pause: it seems to be in the very bottom center of the bowl. Assuming it goes all the way through, it would create a cavity that can't be cleaned, quickly leading to a bad tasting pipe. I'm thinking they are for display only.
On one pipe it doesn't even look like the draft hole is fully drilled!

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

That question is like the Star Wars fan asking if he should use his light saber or just display it. Heck yeah I would use real light saber and yes I would smoke the pipes. That's what they're for.

 

[pappymac]

This listing claims they're real:

Deathmetal, did you expect the listing to say they were not real? They only "real" part is that the pipes are replicas.
Now, if you could get your hands on the actual pipes used during filming, then you would have collector items.

 

[andy]

Smoke away - what's the worse thing that could happen!!!!!

 

[deathmetal]

Deathmetal, did you expect the listing to say they were not real?

"Real" as in fully functional, not models.