What is your most expensive pipe ,why'd you buy it & do you regret it?
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Very well said Peck.
My most expensive pipes so far have been an S. Bang, a Konstantin Shekita, and an Old Nellie, all at around $450 each. I can tell you that they are in my opinion the best looking pipes I have, and they also smoke better than any of my other pipes. Especially the Bang. I can put any of my favorite blends in there and they always tastes perfect. There is a peace of mind that goes with it I suppose... these pipes I believe will hold their value quite well and continue to provide the highest quality smoke for many years to come, and given the enjoyment and bliss that envelopes me while I smoke them, I can tell you without a doubt that I have absolutely no regrets at all.
My most expensive pipes so far have been an S. Bang, a Konstantin Shekita, and an Old Nellie, all at around $450 each. I can tell you that they are in my opinion the best looking pipes I have, and they also smoke better than any of my other pipes. Especially the Bang. I can put any of my favorite blends in there and they always tastes perfect. There is a peace of mind that goes with it I suppose... these pipes I believe will hold their value quite well and continue to provide the highest quality smoke for many years to come, and given the enjoyment and bliss that envelopes me while I smoke them, I can tell you without a doubt that I have absolutely no regrets at all.
Peck put it very well. It isn't about logic. It's about desire. Do I need another pipe? No. Do I desire another pipe? Daily. Do I need to buy an 1882 Barling? No. But I bought the damned thing because I desired it enough to shell out my hard earned money to buy it.
Have I ever regretted buying a pipe? No. But I have had a pang or two about one Barling set that I let get away about 6 years ago. It was a very mint companion set that had been made in 1915, the year my father had been born. But I finally let it go to a buyer from Singapore because the price had hit about three times market and I just couldn't justify the expense. My 1907 unsmoked set cost me less.
Have I ever regretted buying a pipe? No. But I have had a pang or two about one Barling set that I let get away about 6 years ago. It was a very mint companion set that had been made in 1915, the year my father had been born. But I finally let it go to a buyer from Singapore because the price had hit about three times market and I just couldn't justify the expense. My 1907 unsmoked set cost me less.
The most I have paid for a pipe is around 600 for Rainer Barbi pipe and I totally regretted it. It did not smoke very well and luckily I was able to sell it for close to the original price Back in 2000 I was buying pipes that retailed as high as 900.00 but I only paid around 225 for it as I was trading a guy for my Cuban cigars which I was doubling the price of and he was selling me the pipes at his cost. I was able to smoke a number of very expensive pipes for not that much money and none of them smoked better than my Rad's or some of my other American artisan pipes I own today. In my experience you can smoke the best smoking new pipes in the world for around 400.00 I have not found any pipe that smokes better than my Rad's or some of my other American artisan pipes. My price threshold now is around 400.00 but I still love getting great deals on estate artisan pipes. My best score was a Stephen Downie Apple for 135.00 and that is as comfortable and smokes as well as any pipe in my collection. The deals are out there so you can smoke incredible pipes for 135-225. I would much rather pay 225 for a great smoking artisan pipe that shell out 600 for a Dunhill.
andystewart, I once owned 2 brand new Dunhill Bruyeres that were group 5's and they retailed for 660.00. Luckily I only paid 170.00 for each, as I had the same experience as you. They both burned hot as hell no matter what I did. I was able to sell them both for a good profit so I don't have any regrets. If I had paid full retail I would have been really pissed off.
andystewart, I once owned 2 brand new Dunhill Bruyeres that were group 5's and they retailed for 660.00. Luckily I only paid 170.00 for each, as I had the same experience as you. They both burned hot as hell no matter what I did. I was able to sell them both for a good profit so I don't have any regrets. If I had paid full retail I would have been really pissed off.
Harris - Very interesting comment on Pipedia (http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Memories_of_Charatan_Pipes_and_Notes_on_their_Dating) by a lady writing about her experience of Charatan pipes and the people who made them:
Andy
NB I'm NOT looking to initiate a debate on Dunhill or the relative quality of different makes, especially since the lady seems to share the Charatan craftsmens' antipathy towards Dunhill. This is just a comment in the side conversation between Harris and me about our experience of Dunhill pipes burning hot!
Andy
Most expensive pipe was my Stanwell Nanna Iversson, that I paid around $250 for. It is a very good pipe that I will keep for a very long time. In Chicago this year, I decided to up my collection with some higher priced pipes and I believe I learned something. I purchased a Ryan Alden pipe that is fantastic, the most comfortable bit and button of any pipe I own by far, and it is a great smoking pipe, right at the top of my pipes. However I have 2 other pipes that smoke just as well that are factory pipes, a Brigham Chinook 426 and a Peterson Ashford 03. The Peterson offered the very best smoke out of a first bowl of a new pipe that I have ever had. The Alden pipe was incredibly reasonably priced and should retail for double what I paid for it. Aesthetically it is the best looking pipe I own as well, people are constantly commenting on it. However it does not smoke twice as good as my Pete or Brigham, not a knock at all on Ryan's pipe, just that there are very well made factory pipes out there as well. So it's a tie for my best pipe between the Alden, Peterson and Brigham.
I also picked up a barely smoked Dunhill Cumberland Group 2 billiard at about a third of the retail price, and while its a gorgeous pipe (almost as pretty as the Alden) it does not smoke all that well and wouldn't even make it into my top 10. It's all personal preference and I believe I'm a burger, fries and a Ford kinda guy versus a filet mignon and Mercedes type.
I also picked up a barely smoked Dunhill Cumberland Group 2 billiard at about a third of the retail price, and while its a gorgeous pipe (almost as pretty as the Alden) it does not smoke all that well and wouldn't even make it into my top 10. It's all personal preference and I believe I'm a burger, fries and a Ford kinda guy versus a filet mignon and Mercedes type.
This is. I bought it because I liked it & wanted a covered pipe. I do not regret it in the least. It is a great smoker.
My most expensive pipe is a Growley I won in a raffle at the Chattanooga Pipe Show. I think they retail at about $365
It does smoke wonderfully. Regrets? Are you kiddin?
It does smoke wonderfully. Regrets? Are you kiddin?
I purchased Dunhill bog oak pipe and tamper set that was supposed to be made from the pilings of a roman dock in London or some crappola like that .The thing smoked hotter than a California brush fire and was promptly traded off .
Not being a big spender on pipes, I think I have a few sources that sell at a fraction of their
quality. In that group I'd include a local carver who is one of the few who still work in
Mountain Laurel in addition to briar and who has a lovely, relaxed style, and Johs who
seemed to sell at half his potential price level for years, though now he's edging up there,
and rightly so. I enjoy his pipes as always, but also enjoy that I'd be paying about twice
as much today.
quality. In that group I'd include a local carver who is one of the few who still work in
Mountain Laurel in addition to briar and who has a lovely, relaxed style, and Johs who
seemed to sell at half his potential price level for years, though now he's edging up there,
and rightly so. I enjoy his pipes as always, but also enjoy that I'd be paying about twice
as much today.
Most expensive that i PAID brand new, Tinsky poker commission. I have many pipes that i got unbelievable deals on that were brand new that i paid a fraction of the price for, retail wise. A couple that come to mind are my Rinaldo Collection smooth pipe that came with the price sticker still on it straight from the KC pipe show, at $465. I paid around $145 for it i think. Also, my Micah "Yeti" Cryder pipe that i believe was on smokers haven at around $400. I paid $130-something for that one. Both brand new. There are too many ridiculous deals to be had out there if you are patient and look to pay full price for, unless it is a once in a while have-to-have pipe. That's my opinion, anyways.
I have been watching this thread for some time now and really did not have anything else to offer. And then today I looked over at my "best smoker" pipe rack and my FAVORITE smoker caught my eye. Its a 40 year old Cellini (Brebbia) that has always smoked dry and cool, and is magnificently light in the hand or mouth. No particular reason for it to do so and it is otherwise quite unassuming (OK the grain is kind of nice). But it reminds me that I don't have to pay a great deal for a pipe for it to do what is most important: smoke well. So, I generally don't...
My most expensive pipe is Stanwell 163 Facet, is about 180us$, smokes great, really love it and no regrets to own it.
My pipe range is low end to middle end and i read much of pipe smoker write if high cost pipe smokes equal or less-better then other ordinary pipe so i decided not to try to get a high cost pipe.
My pipe range is low end to middle end and i read much of pipe smoker write if high cost pipe smokes equal or less-better then other ordinary pipe so i decided not to try to get a high cost pipe.
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