Too Many Pipes ... Or Not

[seacaptain]

I can't really imagine owning 100+ pipes. You guys must have a lot of sub $50 pipes or a lot of money. If I had 100 Savinelli's, that would be $10-15,000 in pipes. I can't imagine spending that much.
I do remember a guy here that had 100+ Dunhill's. That's $50,000+ of pipes. I suppose though if you bought them over several decades, it wouldn't seem so expensive.

 

[dottiewarden]

@seacaptain

10 grand can get you a collection of 1, if you have the money to throw around.

 

[craiginthecorn]

I have upwards of 200, but my pipe preferences have gradually become more expensive with the passage of time. As a result, my collection runs the gamut of quality from some MM and Dr. Grabows all the way up to Dunhill DR, Alex Florov, Benni Jorgensen, Tonni Nielsen, Peter Heeschen, and so forth. I've started to sell some of my mid-grade pipes that I don't smoke. It felt really good to sell a few, but I've managed to buy as many pipes as I've sold during that period. Some of my lower-end pipes I very much enjoy and some have memories of being a thrift/resale/antique store find and were restoration projects, so it'll be hard to part with some of those. Most of my pipes have been estates. I generally don't pay more for a pipe than I feel I could get as a resale. As a result, I've made a pretty decent profit on each pipe I've sold, but after having invested my time in cleaning and restoring them.
I'd like to try to limit my pipe collection to 100 briars, which means I have a lot of pipes to sell. One hundred seems like a large enough number for someone who doesn't just collect pipes -- I smoke 'em!

 

[seacaptain]

Now that I think about it, the pipes that I've had and got rid of the past 3 years, I probably blew through $2-3k. My current seven Savinelli's cost around $1k.
If I spend 10 grand though, it's going to be on guns, not pipes.

 

[curl]

I have a drawer full of pipes, probably around 30 of them.

I don't have all the MM cob pipes, but I have a lot of them.

Of my briars, I prefer the classic shapes, but not all of them - I don't think I'll ever get an oom paul.

And at this stage of the game I've developed a preference for saddle bits, so that will limit my future choices, too.

Someday I'll find a spigot I like, and maybe a meerschaum, too.

 

[sablebrush52]

Part of what influences my collection is my ongoing interest in pipe history. So, some of my pipes are not necessarily great examples of primo condition or outstanding beauty, but fill in a gap that interests me. Almost everything I have gets smoked, but there are a few unsmoked antiques that will remain that way while I own them. At some point I'll cull down to just the essentials, maybe 40-50 pipes, maybe less, maybe more.

 

[philobeddoe]

Jesse, I can help you weed out your collection a little. I’m sure that Tatum volcano is taking up valuable space that could otherwise be held by a nice Barling. I’d be more than willing to help you out!

 

[daveinlax]

I can't really imagine owning 100+ pipes. You guys must have a lot of sub $50 pipes or a lot of money. If I had 100 Savinelli's, that would be $10-15,000 in pipes. I can't imagine spending that much.
I do remember a guy here that had 100+ Dunhill's. That's $50,000+ of pipes. I suppose though if you bought them over several decades, it wouldn't seem so expensive.

These boards arn't a very good representation of what happens in the hobby. In the world of pipe collecting having 100 similar pipes like Dunhill's is just having a passing interest. I really miss the days when pipe shows were more showing collections. 8O

 

[mso489]

I think pipes are an affordable reward to ourselves for doing whatever we do, or think we do, to deserve them. Buying pipes is a difficult habit to break. If family thinks of pipes for gifts, that really expands the stable. I think I have at least 80 by now, but I still feel like each of them is special, and a sacrifice to trade or give away. When I try to pick put pipes to cull, even the least of the pipes begins to emit a glow.

 

[saltedplug]

I have about 50 pipes, 30 briar and 20 cob. Though I tell myself no, I still shop hoping to say yes. When I really want to say yes I think it over for a week or so, and if I still want to say yes I just keep postponing the buy until I lose interest.
I adore pipes and love looking at/studying them. I think I always will.
smokingpipes' tobacco sales have been getting my money, and I went wild and bought 26 tins of the MC 40th.

 

[seacaptain]

When I try to pick put pipes to cull, even the least of the pipes begins to emit a glow.

That just means it's an Elvish pipe and there are Orcs nearby.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I've probably smoked somewhere around 75 or so pipes, but am down to 5 with at least 1, maybe 2, that will probably get traded or sold soon. I have 3 that I'll most likely keep forever at this point with a goal of 6. I have smoked pipes made of most materials with exception to strawberry wood or hardwoods and have decided I only want to smoke briar pipes. Although, Carter Hall in a cob is pretty magical. A treat I do have occasionally, but I don't count my one cob in my total pipe count. It should count though, so I guess I have 6 pipes with 4 current keepers.

 

[cigrmaster]

Dave how many of those Castellos in that one shape do you have? I have seen pictures but never tried counting. Do you collect other types of pipes as well?

 

[joeman]

Sea Capt...what you said is true of me...I've got a ton of pipes that I paid "less than 50" to get...but as a refurb guy...I'll pay between 10 & 40 for a pipe that's worth closer to 100 when I'm through with it. This is how I've added so many 'nicer' pipes to my farm, and it's on purpose that I've bought very few 'new' pipes (likely 40 of what I own). I do have a wide range of value...from very nice Grabows on up to artisans and a couple Dunnies.

 

[warren]

I have an adequate number of pipes.

 

[pipesticks]

I have around 200 and way more than get smoked regularly. I've sworn off searching pipes on ebay and plan to get just 1-2 new pipes a year from here on out....birthday, Christmas, a remembrance from an historic tobacconist visit, that sort of thing. Having a stash of new unsmoked pipes certainly helps to curb the urge to accumulate more.

 

[johnsteam86]

I have 9 but the tenth one should be here on Friday. Right now just focused on making pipes which is probably where most of my collection will come from besides the Sav's and MM.

 

[artificialme]

I only have 1 with me now while hoping my custom design pipe from my local pipe maker will arrive soon. Can't say 2 is to many though...lol

 

[seacaptain]

I want a new pipe now, maybe a Savinelli 673. I'll have to get rid of one of my seven to keep the universe in balance. Maybe one of my 315's.

 

[prndl]

My fascination with pipes and such doesn't seem to lend itself to the acquisition of them.
I have but one 7 day rack...4 Castellos, 2 Radices and 1 Savinelli. That may change somewhat in time (I was on my way to a 7 day set of Castellos) but, at my age, I appear to be much more interested in the tobacco that is smoked in them.
Seacaptain, that one Savinelli is a 673. Imho, it would be a wise choice.