Your Approach When Finding Your White Whale?
- Thread starter AroEnglish
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I don't know that I've ever designated a pipe a "white whale" as I'm more of an opportunist "buy it if I like it person." Having said that, a few years ago I literally stumbled onto a 1959 Dunhill Tanshell and grabbed it for my birth year addition. So I guess some would say a "white whale" jumped into my boat.
I agree with @TheIronMonkey if there is in your view some flaw, pass and wait. Then from there it is about the disposable cash I have at the time and if that will allow the purchase to happen. I can’t spend more than is sensible for me at a given time but the circumstances might require me to pay more than market value for a white whale if it is rare enough or there is a special reason I want it. That said I’ve never spent more than $500 on a pipe.
Not me.
I appreciate many shapes, materials, artisans, and factories to settle on a mythical pipe to rule them all. I have a few pipes that I'd like to add to my collection but am content to wait for something that is favorable to my eye and budget.
Sounds like a peaceful life on the shores of PAD Haven. Love it.
When confronted with a true white whale I would just pony up the dough no questions asked. I'd hate for some goober to come in and because he didn't haggle, he gets the pipe. A true white whale ticks all the boxes before you even look at it. Now there are unicorns of pipes that aren't white whales because I can't afford those.
And therein lies the conflict. We want this "thing', but we want an exceptional example of this "thing", but we're afraid that if we don't go after the available, though compromised, "thing" we'll miss out. FOMO is murder.I think I do have the opportunity for better versions and will wait it out but I feel like I don’t want to
The honest answer to FOMO is, there will ALWAYS be something else. It may not be another example of that "thing", but it may be something even better, likely it WILL be.
There are a couple of white whales, but I'm at that point in collecting where I don't really care whether or not I ever acquire them. Maybe it's the result of having gone through tossing out, donating, or gifting away hundreds of "treasures" as part of this move that leaves me less desirous of "stuff".
But even before all of that, I had limits, certainly budgetary limits, on what ANY pipe is worth to me, so I was often outbid, though I did make my competition pay, and have ZERO regrets. These days I can satisfy myself with the images of a white whale. I don't need to own it.
Of course, some people would point out, I own some exceedingly fine and rare pipes. You betcha. But I bought all of them within my very tight budget. Some of it was patience, some of it was luck, a lot of it was knowledge - I knew what I was looking at when others didn't, and some of it was the kindness of friends and strangers, who offered me something special at a reduced price because I had done them a service in the past and this was their way of saying thank you.
With white whales, if the result isn't uncomplicated satisfaction, it wasn't worth it.
That's some damned good visual effects work!
I would have liked to have a good collection of high quality pipes. But what the hell, I'll settle for a white herring, the white whale has not arrived yet, I hope to see it someday. I am happy for those fellows who enjoy those pipes they always dreamed of having.
I need both of these sayings in front of me when I’m buying. I think I would be more content applying the latter to non-white whales as well.
Thanks or the wisdom, Jesse.
I keep window shopping then I realize I am always looking at the same types of pipes and more often than not they are the same shapes I already have and often but not always the ones i have are better than what I am seeing and then I shut the computer down and go smoke one I already have and enjoy it. Someday I would like a "perfect" (for me) Peterson but I don't know what that is yet. Until then I just look ... no rush.
There are two I really want, one will
eventually come along I just need to be patient. The other is rare and special so who knows.
eventually come along I just need to be patient. The other is rare and special so who knows.
Like finding a Nording case full of half century old unsmoked Nord-Coats for next to nothing? No idea what you could be talking about.
I admit I am suspicious of the white whale concept. Why is the white whale always something that costs five or six times what I would otherwise feel comfortable spending on a pipe? And how does it happen, no matter how I squirm and dance, that a lot of great smokes are had in pipes that are quite modest price wise.
I can dream like anyone else. I'm happy to fancy pipes that I wouldn't ordinarily buy. I have a few up-market pipes that I enjoy partly because they are the most expensive ones I own.
On the other hand, if like chasingembers I encountered a pipe or pipes of exalted pedigree at a magically low price ... hey, man, I'm on it. Sometimes the white whales find you.
I can dream like anyone else. I'm happy to fancy pipes that I wouldn't ordinarily buy. I have a few up-market pipes that I enjoy partly because they are the most expensive ones I own.
On the other hand, if like chasingembers I encountered a pipe or pipes of exalted pedigree at a magically low price ... hey, man, I'm on it. Sometimes the white whales find you.
With your luck ... if you find the Winchester 30-30 with serial number 0000001 ... its worth a couple of million bucks ! The NRA Museum found #2 in a rancher's pick up in Texas and paid him $675,000 on the spot. Just sayin'
You could be that "Sumgai" (some guy got there first) ... again !
You should've been here when I got an NOS magnetic Neal Yarm pipe stand for $30 when no one else bid on it.With your luck ... if you find the Winchester 30-30 with serial number 0000001 ... its worth a couple of million bucks ! The NRA Museum found #2 in a rancher's pick up in Texas and paid him $675,000 on the spot. Just sayin'
I got my Savinelli Erica Fiamma NOS billiard (which I gave to my brother) 16 mins after the buy now posting hit ebay for $60. There were two others available in Europe for $180 and $240 euros ! So I know the feeling. Some days it all just works out ! Sumgai !You should've been here when I got an NOS magnetic Neal Yarm pipe stand for $30 when no one else bid on it.
You should've been here when I got an NOS magnetic Neal Yarm pipe stand for $30 when no one else bid on it.
Legendary buys!I got my Savinelli Erica Fiamma NOS billiard (which I gave to my brother) 16 mins after the buy now posting hit ebay for $60. There were two others available in Europe for $180 and $240 euros ! So I know the feeling. Some days it all just works out ! Sumgai !