The Evolution Of Your Collection...

[iamn8]

As much as I love the pipes which pass through my hands, I've gotten an unexpected kick out of watching how my collecting has evolved over a very brief period of time. These two photos show a then and now which represents equal money. The collection evolved by trades with no further money spent. I wonder what my collection will like a year from now. I may very well end up with just one very expensive pipe. I'm curious to see and read about how others collections have evolved.

Then...



Now...

 

[blueeyedogre]

My collection has evolved more by shape then by price. Sure I have a few customs now and I'm buying Rattrays rather then Chacom most days but I started with medium sized bowls and moved to big bowls with my aromatics. Now that I have discovered Virginias and flake my latest pipes have all been on the smaller side of medium. When smoking Arros I prefered big full bent shapes and my smaller pipes are all straights or slight bent shapes. Your right though about looking back and seeing hope you smoking has evolved as you get deeper into the passion of pipe smoking.

 

[waxmojo]

Since I am now retired with less cash coming in my collection has gone in reverse. I was buying mostly hand made pipes which were much more affordable a few years ago. My last 3 purchases were Savinelli's, not the hand made variety. Sold off 3 hand mades a couple of months ago and used the proceeds to buy a Sav Seta and some tobacco.

 

[freakiefrog]

Mine is more of a "Shape" evolution than anything. I started with a lot of bent and 1/2 bent pipes to now I find myself drawn to straight shapes even though I just got an Oom Paul. Now I have more straight pipes than bents. funny how that works.

 

[owen]

A year ago I had a corn cob only, I have gone through a number of collecting phases, my focus now is on getting more of the pipes; shapes, sizes, brands and countries that I have warmed to the most. I would also like one each of the fine English makers and one commission. Currently I have about fifty pipes ten of which are in regular rotation.

owen

 

[framitz]

In over 60 years of collecting I started with basket pipes and have ended with 27 charlatans a few du hills castles and misc English and Italians
I had a phase of chambers larger than my thumb glove size 10

Ben wades Jonas Nielsen Danish freehand now smaller radio all shapes. Shel

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I started out with some cheap basket pipes, most of which I still have. Then I branched out into factory pipes with a some Petersons, a Butz-Choquin, and some Savinellis. Next came my love for Danish style freehands which meant it was time to buy a couple of Erik Nordings. From there I ventured into some artisan pipes carved by Don Warren of which I have two, a Danish style freehand of course and a nice rusticated poker. Along the way I added a Brigham Mountaineer 309 that I bought from Brian Levine at the West Coast Pipe Show. My mom gave me a Brindisi 605 red finish for Christmas some years back. I've added a Mizzou bent, a Washington straight, and a straight MiniCob from Missouri Meerschaum. I've run the gambit as far as shapes and finishes, bents and straights, factory and artisan. In the end I don't think I'll ever eclipse 50 pipes in the collection. I'll probably just start swapping out lower end pipes for higher end ones. I will always keep the first pipe I bought, a basket churchwarden from Italy, and the pipe my mom bought me though.

 

[daveinlax]

Changes to the collection are hard for me and other than a early wholesale change in focus I've moved slowly and only because I needed the funds to add more pipes. I wish I could have kept them all but I really enjoy the collection I've built. 8O

 

[menuhin]

I started with a toy pipe, and then went into branded pipes. I'm still at a (mostly) factory pipe stage. However, I do appreciate organic shapes of many freehand pipes, and some real work of sculpture and creative art --- I'm not sure if I will smoke these regularly if I have one though.
Some questions for the evolution of your nice collection (@n8) and others.

We all know that looking at certain beautiful pipes or reading about the pleasant smoking experience they deliver would ignite a pipe-smoker's desire to acquire them.

But on selling and giving up, do you follow any rule on which one to sell or to trade?

What trigger you to think this is perhaps the one you should give up?