Why Such High Cost on Some Pipes?

[cosmicfolklore]

It's all about pipe-snobbery.

You mean snobbery, as in calling a group of people snobs as if you are above them? It's one of those words that makes someone a hypocrite the moment it leaves the mouth.
But, honestly, I don't have a problem being a sob. I've worked hard getting here. ::

 

[sablebrush52]

Back in the days, Dunhill built reputation (and price tag) because their pipes really smoked better than the competition.

No, they didn't. Kaywoodie outsold them and out priced them. Charatan, Comoy, BBB, and Barling made pipes that were equal to anything that Dunhill ever turned out. Dunhill wasn't initially a pipe maker, but a brand dedicated to fine goods, and their advertising reflected that. Dunhill wasn't about pipes. It was about success and about connoisseurship. Pipes were an important part of that branding for many years, but were only a part.

 

[mso489]

...and to pick up the story from sablebrush, the Dunhill pipe and tobacco franchise was broken off from the major Dunhill brand of boutique clothes and accessories such that the Dunhill brick-and-mortar retail shops didn't/don't sell pipes at all. And yes, some of the mature members of Forums remember when you could buy a Kaywoodie, or if you didn't have the money, you bought a Dunhill instead.

 

[thomasw]

But for bang for your buck, a nice pre-smoked (estate) pipe is hard to beat.

@jpmcwjr (some time explain what those initials represent :: ) This fact is often overlooked. 90% of the pipes I've bought in the last 17 yrs have been what were expensive pipes -- a little bit of cleaning and elbow grease and one has a very well-made pipe to enjoy that was more reasonably priced than when new.
@cosmic

You mean snobbery, as in calling a group of people snobs as if you are above them? It's one of those words that makes someone a hypocrite the moment it leaves the mouth

Wisdom!

I don't have a problem being a sob. I've worked hard getting here.

Hehe, indeed being a SOB is something my friends and my wife think just comes naturally to me ::

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's all about pipe-snobbery. If you look at the $1,000+ pipes, nearly all of them focus on the uniqueness of the carving. Let's face it, those pipes are conversation pieces and would never be smoked.

Ummm, no, I smoke them quite regularly.

 

[warren]

If someone sees me smoking, chances are I'll have a cob or moderately priced, great smoking, brier in my jaw. I doubt anyone has seen me with an expensive, $500.00+, pipes. My wife and daughter were/are exceptions. So I suppose I'm "closet snob.
The reality is, it's the people who form such shallow opinions who are the snobs. And, I'd never buy a pipe and not smoke it. A pipe too "nice" to be smoked ceases to be a pipe. It is more a piece of art. An expensive pipe provides me, only me, with a bit of private, frivolous and selfish reassurance that I have indeed arrived at a place in my life I've worked hard to achieve.
Many people look at items they cannot afford then, fail to realize that they are not the target of the seller. If they do realize such, they often resent that expensive items should be available for those who can afford such. And then, begin to resent those who buy the costly pipes.
I, for one, am happy with the idea that pipes are carved/manufactured and available to smokers across the entire socio/economic spectrum. It's an indicator that some are indeed doing well. They are the tax payers and "blessed be the tax payers."

Can you guys help me shed some light on this? What are your thoughts to some of these pipes?

If there wasn't a healthy market for expensive pipes, they wouldn't be available.

 

[Chasing Embers]

All of mine, cheap and expensive, go into my shirt pocket, and off to work. A pipe is a pipe to me, and I agree with Warren. If it's never smoked, it's not a pipe.

 

[ruscho]

Meh...
I can understand the guy who has plenty of disposable income and gets all his pipes custom made to fit his exact specs.

I can also understand the guy who can't afford to spend $700-$800 on a custom pipe and smokes all corncobs/Savis/Butz/etc.
But if you have both cheap and super-expensive pipes - you, my friend, are a snob.

A snob is someone, who pulls one of these atrocities and thinks he's all that, because he dropped $2,000 on an awful piece of briar, just so it could scream "Look at my pipe everyone!!"

Here is another piece of "art" that was selling for $3,400 initially:

I'm not the one to sugar-coat, so if you spent $1,300 on this faulty-grain worm, then, yeah, you are a snob starving for attention:

 

[saintpeter]

Many people look at items they cannot afford then, fail to realize that they are not the target of the seller. If they do realize such, they often resent that expensive items should be available for those who can afford such. And then, begin to resent those who buy the costly pipes.

Large grain of truth in that. My "disposable" income was always spent on other silly things like an estate Kimber, lol.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Eh, like the guys who go to the lots that have the Maseratis and bitch about how only snobs drive those. The lions don't worry themselves with the opinions of the sheep.

 

[saintpeter]

Eh, like the guys who go to the lots that have the Maseratis and bitch about how only snobs drive those. The lions don't worry themselves with the opinions of the sheep.

 

[ruscho]

Eh, like the guys who go to the lots that have the Maseratis and bitch about how only snobs drive those. The lions don't worry themselves with the opinions of the sheep.

Eh, thanks for proving my point.
If you think that buying expensive pipes makes you a lion, then you are just reaffirming my beliefs.
And I like your Maserati example, it fits perfectly with my opinion on why people drop thousands on crappy pipes - they just need to show off their wealth and think anyone who doesn't - is just a poor pleb :clap:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I never disagreed... except on your expertise and evaluation of these pipes. Of course I'm a snob.

 

[ruscho]

Chasing, I'm sorry but your Weaver does not fit in the category I was talking about. To be honest, I'd be a bit disappointed about the blemish. He has a really beautiful blowfish, blemish-free, for $600 right now. I'd pay this price for that gorgeous pipe in a heartbeat!

 

[saintpeter]

:nana: :rofl: LMAO. I'm a sheep. No problem with that. Just wandered into the wrong barn, I guess.

 

[fitzy]

We really need a popcorn emoji.

 

[ruscho]

Many people look at items they cannot afford then, fail to realize that they are not the target of the seller. If they do realize such, they often resent that expensive items should be available for those who can afford such. And then, begin to resent those who buy the costly pipes.

This is rarely the case. I have personally (in real life) never met a person who hates luxury items, because they can't afford it. Most people work hard to become wealthy precisely so they can afford better things.
The question here is about levels - a custom-made beautiful-grain pipe is a luxury item. Every pipe smoker can understand the benefits of owning such pipe, even if they can't afford $400-$600-$800 for such pipe. If I saw you smoking such pipe in public - I would admire the pipe, but have no opinion about you (resentment or otherwise) or maybe just think that you have a really good taste in pipes.
Now, you walk in smoking one of these below (speaking of sheep), well, unflattering opinions would be formed by everyone and it would have nothing to do with affordability

 

[jpmcwjr]

You seem to have shifted from price considerations alone, to trying on a definition of snobbery, which you sometimes confuse with "poseur", to now railing against absurd pipe shapes.
Are you angry at someone or some thing??

 

[callsignawesome]

Here are my thoughts. Some times we buy thing for function, sometimes we but things for price. While I've never purchased a pipe that cost $350 or up, I have purchased pipes that are expensive relative to my means. For me the most I'm willing to shell out on a pipe is no more than $250. That $250 may be spent on a new pipe or an estate find that I feel is worth that price. Why $250? Because that is all I feel comfortable spending on a single pipe based on my income. My best smoker is a Peterson Spigot 106 that cost well over $200. My next best smoker (which honestly smokes equally as good as my Spigot) is an old Kaywoodie SG Dublin that I bought for less than $10 shipped. I bought the Kaywoodie because it looked abused, and that told me that it must've been a good smoker. I bought the Spigot because I thought it was a gorgeous pipe and thankfully it proved to be a good smoker. If I could afford to buy a pipe for $350 pipe or even a $5,000 pipe I would. But you better believe I'd still have that old Kaywoodie.

 

[ruscho]

You seem to have shifted from price considerations alone, to trying on a definition of snobbery, which you sometimes confuse with "poseur", to now railing against absurd pipe shapes.
Are you angry at someone or some thing??

I'm angry at a few things, but none of them related to pipes
The OP specifically talked about $5,000 pipes, and my point was, that that's what a $5,000 pipe looks like (the pipe above sells for $4,999).
Over $1,000 pipes are almost always synonymous with absurd pipe shapes. Sorry you find it hard to follow :nana: