Why are some pipes “expensive”?

[DonutLuvr]

I know “expensive” depends on the buyer, but I’m still trying to understand why certain pipes carry such a big price tag compared to others.

My collection is small—maybe 25 pipes total. Mostly Savinelli and Peterson, a Butz-Choquin, a couple of meers, some cobs, a turn-of-the-century pipe that a generous member here gifted me during a past Santa exchange, and a handful of Wilbur Swinks freehands. The thing is, some of the cheapest ones I own smoke the best and feel the most natural in my hand.

The Swinks pipes are especially meaningful to me since they were my dad’s. He smoked those when I was a kid, before he quit, and they were made not far from where I live. I remember going to that tobacco shop and watching them make pipes when I was young before the business ultimately became no more. So they’ve got a sentimental value nothing else in the collection can really touch.

I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than about $200 on a new pipe. I’ve been smoking for a little over six years, and most of my money has always gone into tobacco I enjoy and want to cellar. Pipes have been more of a slow, steady thing.

But I keep seeing artisan pipes going for $500, $750, even $1,000 or more. I get that the market decides the price, but I’m wondering: is it mainly the maker’s name? The grain? The shaping? Something else? I appreciate the craftsmanship—some of them really are works of art—but at the end of the day they’re still just tools for smoking tobacco, right?

I’m mainly trying to learn, especially for the day I finally decide to treat myself to a higher-end pipe. Up to now I’ve actually preferred rusticated finishes, mostly because I’m afraid of dinging up a nice smooth one.

Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

 

[Waning Embers]

I know “expensive” depends on the buyer

There's your answer though materials alone for a single pipe can reach a couple of hundred dollars depending on the source.

 

[DonutLuvr]

There's your answer though materials alone for a single pipe can reach a couple of hundred dollars depending on the source.

I get that, but I don’t think it’s that simple. Just a quick comparison and seeing a $3,500 Castello vs another artisan maker around $500 with roughly the same amount of briar used in crafting the pipe with a nice smooth finish and grain.

Are you implying that the sourcing to get the raw briar sourced from the same company would cost one outfit “x” and the other “y”? I guess I can see that too - based on the total volume purchased. But I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of the pricing.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

Smoke the tabac you enjoy out of the pipes you like
Life is short and our wallets are thinning

 

[Waning Embers]

But I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of the pricing.

Again, you answered your own question. There are collectors that see a few thousand dollars for a pipe no more financially burdening than pocket change.

 

[JoeW]

Again, you answered your own question. There are collectors that see a few thousand dollars for a pipe no more financially burdening than pocket change.

Same with tobacco, based on some browsing of tinbids.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

Same with tobacco, based on some browsing of tinbids.

You see that rougaroux auction !?

 

[Waning Embers]

Same with tobacco, based on some browsing of tinbids.

Absolutely. Hilariously though, much of that which is not discontinued sits collecting dust at retail prices at B&Ms.

 

[Waning Embers]

You see that rougaroux auction !?

Now that is silly. I've still got several pounds of that one long forgotten in my closet. Even retail is a bit expensive for that one.

 

[Briarcutter]

It's the same as knives,fountain pens,watches,guitars the list goes on ad infinitum.

 

[DonutLuvr]

Same with tobacco, based on some browsing of tinbids.

Actually - this kind of struck me in a way to think about the “expensive” pipes, or at least what I viewed as such.

Supply and demand. Thats it.

I get the whole bourbon craze, as stuff I’ve enjoyed since the early 2000s was readily available before the Pappy craze hit. Then you have more demand with less supply forcing lotteries to get bottles via lottery or long lines creating a secondary market. Which seems is what has happened with some tobacco blends that are popping up on tinbids.

Maybe if I view artisan pipes as more of a supply vs demand - it finally makes a little more sense if one carver only produces a limited supply each year vs the bigger companies churning out multiple $100-$200 pipes a day.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

It's the same as knives,fountain pens,watches,guitars the list goes on ad infinitum.

Try bamboo fly rods

 

[Briarcutter]

Try bamboo fly rods

That's the ad infinitum part

 

[JoeW]

Actually - this kind of struck me in a way to think about the “expensive” pipes, or at least what I viewed as such.

Supply and demand. Thats it.

I get the whole bourbon craze, as stuff I’ve enjoyed since the early 2000s was readily available before the Pappy craze hit. Then you have more demand with less supply forcing lotteries to get bottles via lottery or long lines creating a secondary market. Which seems is what has happened with some tobacco blends that are popping up on tinbids.

Maybe if I view artisan pipes as more of a supply vs demand - it finally makes a little more sense if one carver only produces a limited supply each year vs the bigger companies churning out multiple $100-$200 pipes a day.

I think of it in terms of perceived value as well. My little sister once tried to tell me that a house is a perpetually-appreciating investment vehicle; I told her that a house is a box where you store your stuff, and it's only worth what a buyer is willing to pay. A pipe is a portable fire pit: what makes a $1000 pipe worth more than a $100 pipe? Is the quality that much greater? Some may believe so: I don't have any relevant experience there. For others, the value is in what the pipe represents: some may think that it must be better because it costs more, others may value a pipe more highly because of its history or artistic value.

My most expensive pipe is a $300 Boswell. Is it that much better than my $60 Falcon? Maybe, maybe not. For me, the value comes from the fact that it was a Father's Day present--my first Father's Day pipe.

In December I bought a 1970s Danish freehand from another forum member for $150, because I enjoyed the appearance. I've never smoked it yet: I simply enjoy looking at it during boring work meetings.

Some day I may pay big bucks for a pre-WW2 pipe as a historical artifact, or a Dunhill as a lark, or a Tatsuo Tajima mountain for the sake of art. Maybe they will be good smokers, or maybe not: their value to me would be something other than smoking quality, which would be secondary. Meanwhile, my much cheaper briars and Falcons and cobs have a lot of value to me because they provide pleasant smoking experiences.

Same with tobacco: some may perceive the value of $200/oz Esoterica to be higher than $6/oz Pegasus because of the higher price. I wouldn't know, but I do enjoy the $3-10/oz tobaccos which I can actually obtain.

There. I hope I've managed to provide something more relevant than simply a snarky comment about tinbids

 

[OzPiper]

Why a Rolls, Bentley, Porsche or Ferrari when a Ford or Toyota will do ?
Why Beluga, oscietra caviar instead of lumpfish roe ?
Why Krug or Cristal instead of prosecco ?

It's their money and their choice essentially.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

I get that, but I don’t think it’s that simple. Just a quick comparison and seeing a $3,500 Castello vs another artisan maker around $500 with roughly the same amount of briar used in crafting the pipe with a nice smooth finish and grain.

Are you implying that the sourcing to get the raw briar sourced from the same company would cost one outfit “x” and the other “y”? I guess I can see that too - based on the total volume purchased. But I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of the pricing.

Got a link to that $3,500 Castello?
The briar being used today was purchased at 10+ least years..
You have decide where to spend your hobby money.

 

[DonutLuvr]

Got a link to that $3,500 Castello?
The briar being used today was purchased at 10+ least years..
You have decide where to spend your hobby money.

Castello

 

[OzPiper]

@georged just posted some handbags in the "Interesting Completed EBay Auctions - British Pipes" thread.
Just to put things into perspective.

 

[Waning Embers]

some may perceive the value of $200/oz Esoterica to be higher than $6/oz Pegasus because of the higher price

That's just due to Esoterica often being available at B&Ms for less than $50/8 ounce bag. The prices it can go for all trace back to panic over a missed shipment in 2007.

 

[Hillcrest]

The thing is, some of the cheapest ones I own smoke the best and feel the most natural in my hand.

If that is so ... and I have the same experience ... then price is NOT the indicative factor for a great pipe --- so it must be something else like quality of briar and craftsmanship (drilling etc). Until you figure out what you like in a pipe and can pick which one will be a great smoker then the easiest way to insure a better smoker is to buy a more expensive pipe from an established name brand or artisan. The majority of pipe smokers who buy many pipes can't all be wrong when they say X makes great pipes. Soon X gets a good reputation and his/her pipes become sought after and the price goes up. As for artisan pipes being more expensive ... they are small business craftsman and have to survive and have to charge more for hand made pipes (ie: they aren't making 100K pipes per year.) As for collectible pipes from famous carvers ... there are only so many Rembrandts so the price will continue to go up over time. Just my 2 cents adjusted for inflation and cost of living. (We have no cents anymore. )