Super Expensive Pipes

[Ksigel]

In re-reading this thread I get reminded of a simple truth, “things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them”. No need to judge. That said for me $25,000 is a bit wild, just plain out of my league. I am sure that some would say the same about my $250 or $300 pipes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

In re-reading this thread I get reminded of a simple truth, “things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them”. No need to judge. That said for me $25,000 is a bit wild, just plain out of my league. I am sure that some would say the same about my $250 or $300 pipes.

Bingo

 

[warren]

Sometimes you can't afford the toys you want until you are old enough to fully appreciate the toys and, the sacrifices you made early on to insure the kids made college, bills were paid and, most importantly, the wife had the life she deserved. Then, and only then, no matter what age all that was achieved, one can spend moneys on toys and stuff. And, what others think be damned!

 

[Egg Shen]

Where is this thread going, idk. I think we need more pics of expensive pipes for one. People with money have money so pretty much anything can be improved right? At the Texas pipe show, a friend who is loaded was smoking this rather gorgeous billiard with the most unique silver adornment I have seen. Nothing blingy but just different and sexy as hell. I asked who the carver was…..a Bang I was told. After a few morning beers, if a gent was selling this pipe for $900, I could see myself going for it. Likely that pipe was above $3 or 4K maybe much higher. Remember, if there weren’t pipes that weren’t far out of reach, we wouldn’t love our Vermont Freemont stems as much.

This sounds tasteful. I have to say that for my tastes, a lot of the high priced pipes are overworked eyesores with a shape that looks ergonomicly poor. I’d rather spend that kind of $ on artwork that is not a pipe. That said I’ve seen some expensive ones that are more traditional in shape that I like. I don’t think I spent more than a few hundred dollars on any of mine.

I agree this thread wants more pictures of expensive pipes.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Does anyone really care what someone spends?

 

[sandollars]

Does anyone really care what someone spends?

I could not give a Rat's Ass....

 

[Chasing Embers]

Make friends with a carver. Sometimes they'll gift you pipes.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Make friends with a carver. Sometimes they'll gift you pipes.

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I’m happy to let you own them. ?

 

[warren]

Does anyone really care what someone spends?

Yes, some members seem to have an almost unnatural curiosity about other people's spending habits. Some dispense with the curiosity and simply disparage other people's spending.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yeah. If your pipes cost a lot more than mine, you're a sucker for the machine. If your pipes cost a lot less than mine, you're a skinflint.

Something like that?

 

[anotherbob]

It's funny how some people get offended so easily. I am new to the forum and when I see people talking about pipes they seem to mention things like Costello or Dunhill and the artisans at the upper end and a lot of people on here are smoking cobs Rossis Savinellis Petersons etc. It seems that the upper ranges approach maybe hundreds of dollars but not thousands and not thirty five thousand lol.

I was just wondering if regular pipe smokers are buying these or is it investors or something I don't know about. Are the people buying these on this forum?

And I was wondering if they are here they could tell me what is it exactly makes a pipe worth 35,000 dollars or even 10,000 dollars. I am curious not judgemental. I know what makes a wine worth 1000s or a car or a rolex but pipes not sure.

Biggest factor in price increase seems to be how many pipes can be put to market. Seriously if you look at how many pipes the hand carver artisans put out in a year it's comparable to how many pipes a small factory can ship out in a day. Like a lot of things one of the factors you're paying for is just man hours (how many hours of someone or multiple someones working on a pipe. Meer is a good example. A large intricate pipe is going to take as long to make as many smaller simpler ones will.

 

[forloveoffreedom]

You have 200 pounds in your cellar, coooool!
You spent $1,200 on a pipe, what a dummy lol.
I get so confused.

 

[anotherbob]

one thing too with a pipe that no one is mentioning at all when considering the price. Is that they'll last over a life time. When I first picked up pipe smoking a 100 dollar pipe seemed like a mad extravagance now it seems like nothing when you consider how much use it's going to get. A thousand dollar pipe isn't that much of a leap to justify when you'll still be able to smoke it in 20 years.

 

[Chasing Embers]

You have 200 pounds in your cellar, coooool!
You spent $1,200 on a pipe, what a dummy lol.
I get so confused.

Well, to be fair, the majority of my tobacco spending was when you could still get a pound of tobacco for less than $30.

 

[karam]

Sometimes you can't afford the toys you want until you are old enough to fully appreciate the toys and, the sacrifices you made early on to insure the kids made college, bills were paid and, most importantly, the wife had the life she deserved. Then, and only then, no matter what age all that was achieved, one can spend moneys on toys and stuff. And, what others think be damned!

Very true, it’s like “life’s toll” isn’t it?

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I totally agree with the statement “things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them.” Value is relative and subjective. Over the years, I've skimped on food so I could get a rare first edition book. Could I read a paperback copy? Yes, but, I enjoy and appreciate the original artifact and packaging, the primacy of the original edition that the paperback can't provide. I've spent more on audio cables for my stereo system than some people spend on high-end pipes—but, it was worth it to me to be able to extract that nth degree of subtle musical information. Law of diminishing returns? Sure, but, the pleasure I gained was priceless. Pipes are unusual in that they're functional works of art. Use them and they might be worth less than what you paid (not always depending on time passed and demand). There was a Todd Johnson pipe that I kept looking at for weeks, maybe months. It was an unusual shape for him and to my eyes incredibly graceful and beautiful with its lines. I couldn't stop thinking about it and looking at it. I thought I may not see this again and will regret not getting it, maybe end up looking for it in vain in the years to come. I spent way more than I should've, but I'm happy I got it. I can forgive myself for blowing the money; I'll make more. Will it smoke any better than my sixty dollar Rossi 8320? It doesn't matter as long as I enjoy it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

There was a Todd Johnson pipe

Was it the silver nautilus?

 

[TheIronMonkey]

It wasn't, but if I had the dosh to spare, I could've seen springing for that for its uniqueness.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Does anyone really care what someone spends?

Yeah. I really worry about sandollars spending. I hacked into his bank account and am not worried about the pipes since they seems reasonable. It's his monthly spend on Depends, Zima and aerosol cheese products that really troubles me.

 

[AroEnglish]

Up until recently I was a big fan.

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I've even said that they equal any high end pipe.

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How come you’re no longer a big fan of cobs?

Also, this thread needs more pics. I want to see what I’m missing out on.