What's A Basket Pipe Anyway?

[mso489]

Basket pipe is an inherently loose term that can mean different things from pipe stop to pipe shop. It comes from pipe shops having a basket in which they sell a seemingly random variety of less expensive pipes, although these days those can start at sixty dollars or more. What you find in the basket depends entirely on the shop. Some have only the cheapest available pipes -- off brands, no brands, pipes stamped only with the nation of origin which is often not a major pipe-making country. But don't skip the pipe basket. Figure out what that shop is doing with it. Many baskets have a whole range of pipes from stamped name brands in good shape to lesser pipes and some real cheapies. At some shops, it is almost like lotto. In among the cheapie are two or three higher quality pipes at half price. It's worth a look. Many many years ago, my local indy shop had an unfinished Savenelli in the basket that I bought for about $35 that has proved to be a fine smoker with a fine walnut "finish" caused by years of smoking.

 

[canucklehead]

I would consider my first briar pipe to be a "basket" pipe, even though it was not in an actual basket. It was in a glass cabinet with the typical meager assortment of pipes and accessories at a cigar shop.

It is a bent apple/fat billiard, $35, no brand name, a hard plastic stem, a few fills, and it was made in Italy, so I think that qualifies it. It is a good smoker though (after slight airway modifications), especially for mild Englishes, and has some cool grain in a couple places.

Edit: I have been to one B&M that actually had a big basket of pipes by the till, cheap off brand pipes, a few cobs, and several very well used estates. It was quite entertaining to rummage around in it for a while.

 

[Old School 3319]

Basket pipe given to me by a friend

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I have 2 pipes I refer to this way. One is unmarked, and the other is marked "Cup O' Joes". To me the term means, a generic pipe bought from a tobacco store.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

View attachment 41649
Basket pipe given to me by a friend

Thats a Grabow.

 

[Old School 3319]

Thats a Grabow.

Yes my friend got it at a tobacco store in Texas he only smoked it a few times and gave it to me free of charge

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Yes my friend got it at a tobacco store in Texas he only smoked it a few times and gave it to me free of charge

Nice pipe. I dig Dr. Grabow pipes.

 

[magicpiper]

My first pipe was a basket pipe. My friend, who introduced me to pipe smoking, grabbed it for me from his local B&M shop. I freight trained that thing until I burned it out. I eventually learned how to smoke properly when I bought a Peterson. I was afraid I’d ruin it like I did my first pipe.

 

[Old School 3319]

Nice pipe. I dig Dr. Grabow pipes.

That is 90% of my pipes some blues and whites

 

[LOREN]

My pipes are no-name used pipes. I guess when they were new they would have been considered basket pipes.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

At my local B&M the basket pipes are mostly overpriced junk, unfortunately. The prices start at $50, and the quality is far below that price point.

 

[irishearl]

When I first started smoking some 44 years ago, the B&M where I shopped would have actual baskets of pipes and some were pretty decent for very low prices. In my early days of eBay shopping I picked up several no names which are such good looking and performing pipes they remain in my rotation. I probably paid $10-15 a piece for them. Of course 15 years ago eBay typically had great deals on pipes in general. I picked up 1 of my Peterson deluxe system pipes then for $49, my best eBay deal.

 

[verporchting]

I occasionally still run across a basket of decent (usually no name or something obscure) pipes for under $40-50.

Used to be more common but I do still see it.

I’ve bought several of them too with generally good results and a few outstanding ones too. Just had to be careful to check the drilling and quality but in the better shops there weren’t any bad ones, mostly the pipes were just decent inexpensive burners with no frills and no stamping other than “genuine briar” or such.

 

[BROBS]

When I first started smoking some 44 years ago, the B&M where I shopped would have actual baskets of pipes and some were pretty decent for very low prices. In my early days of eBay shopping I picked up several no names which are such good looking and performing pipes they remain in my rotation. I probably paid $10-15 a piece for them. Of course 15 years ago eBay typically had great deals on pipes in general. I picked up 1 of my Peterson deluxe system pipes then for $49, my best eBay deal.

Agree I’ve bought some old basket pipes just stamped with a country of origin off eBay for 10-20 bucks.. some of the best smokers I’ve got.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Lots of basket pipes bought in the NY-NJ area five decades ago. All good pipes. A few years ago, I got a couple of Parkers out of a basket, one in London, one in Edinburgh. Also very fine.

 

[PipesRock]

Medley Lumberman picked up online for under 18.50 this year. Great smoker and although not from a BM shop I'm sure it was basket worthy.

I'm sure that we're currently in the transition phase now where Sav unfinished pipes will be considered "Green" or "Organic" so out of the basket they go behind the glass onto velvet pillows.

 

[BROBS]

Medley Lumberman picked up online for under 18.50 this year. Great smoker and although not from a BM shop I'm sure it was basket worthy.

Definitely. There are tons of these old “seconds” brands to major manufacturers. Many are better than most new pipes you can get today.

 

[daveinlax]

In pipe shops the basket pipes were the lowest price pipes followed up by the board and display case pipes. ?

 

[mikethompson]

One thing I've learned from years on this forum: a basket pipe does not mean it's a basket case. Some of the best pipes some members have are no name briars.