Your High Dollar Artisan Pipes: Display Only? Or Smoke Away?

[jmatt]

I started this thread, and honestly expected a different result. I see so many over-the-top pipe designs for what I would call big money (say a grand or more) that I imagine them to be pieces of art for display and not for smoking.
For what it's worth, I've smoked every pipe I've ever bought. But my top end is "only" in the $500-$1,000 range (for now).

 

[Chasing Embers]

For what it's worth, I've smoked every pipe I've ever bought. But my top end is "only" in the $500-$1,000 range (for now).

That"s been my range too. If I ever get more expensive than that, will most likely still put a flame to them. :mrgreen:

 

[sablebrush52]

What's interesting in this thread is that there is this concept that there are smokers OR collectors. It's a false dichotomy. One can be both, and there are a number of members here who fall into that category. I'm primarily a smoker, so 90% more or less, of what I have I smoke. But I can also enjoy a rarity, like an unsmoked 110 year old set, just as it is. Once smoked, they're just another set of old pipes.

 

[jefff]

I have to agree with sable. I probably wouldn't smoke a set like that.
But I might consider selling them for one or two REALLY high end pipes I would.
That is something I would really have to ponder.

 

[daveinlax]

It all depends, if it's apart of a set like Sam's Dr G's, Sable's Barling's, an historic piece, an art piece like an old ornately carved Austrian meer or a rarity like an unsmoked Micke I'd leave them as is. If it's just another pipe by a current carver I'd smoke it. I guess I'm glad I buy estates so the decision has been made but I sort of regretted putting a match to 3 new in the box Dunhill Patents when the time came to sell them years ago. 8O

 

[easterntraveler]

I don't put value in "collector items" If I like the pipe, I buy it and then smoke out of it. If the pipe costs me $1000 and is a rare pipe, it is still going to get smoked out of. In the end that pipe is not worth a damn thing to me when I am dead. Might as well enjoy it.

 

[mrenglish]

If I ever ended up with a set of pipes like Sam or Sable, it would be hard to smoke them since they are a rarity in the pipe world. Otherwise, every pipe I get is purchased with the purpose of smoking.
When I sold pipes through a B&M, we did have a couple fellas who purchased high grade pipes and did not smoke them. They continued to smoke their Falcon's and Peterson's. One of these fellas didn't even display his high end pipes, they just went into his closet all boxed up. Every so often he would get them out in order to gift one, but he said he never took them out to just look at them.

 

[halfy]

I don't have a collection, just a rotation... Of course I got many more unsmoked .......substitutes.

 

[jkrug]

I don't have any high end pipes but I do smoke 'em all. If I had a high end pipe or two I'd be smokin' them as well. ::

 

[huntertrw]

"Your High Dollar Artisan Pipes: Display Only? Or Smoke Away?"
Smoke away! After all, the beauty of a "high-dollar artisan pipe" is only part of the story. If that pipe is pretty, but does not smoke any better than a $5.00 "bucket" pipe, then what's the point? To me the proof is (and will always be) in the puffing.

 

[pappymac]

The only pipes I own that I don't smoke are ones I bought at antique/collectible shops that I knew I wouldn't smoke because of the damage already inflicted on them like cracks in the bowls, damaged stems, etc. I bought them to be wall hangers. If I spend a high amount on a pipe I smoke it.