Ebay can be decent but you have to know what your looking at because I have seen some great deals and some that are huge rip offs. Generally, I have found that knowing what you are looking for/at makes a huge difference and some of the rougher, well used pipes clean up beautifully but it is still a roll of the dice.
Do your research on how to identify pipes based on the stamping and logos. I use pipepedia.org as my main research source.
Don't be afraid to visit antique/junk/collectible shops, malls and flea markets. Sure you will see a lot of roached out Kaywoodies and Dr. Grabow's but even some of them will be nice collectibles.
Because of research I have a La Savinelli Giubileo D'Oro 510 KS that I paid $3 dollar for at a street fair. When it was made in the late 60's to mid 70s, it sold in the same price range as some of the Dunhills. One out of every 10,000 pipes were deemed to be high enough quality to earn the Giubileo D'Oro name.
I am also in the process of restoring a Linkman's Hollycourt Special 7023. Don't know the name Linkman? It was an old company that produced pipes from 1898 to around 1943. Linkman created the Dr. Grabow pipe and dropped the name Linkman in the mid-1940s.
One ad advertised the Hollycourt Special for $10. That would be $140 in today's value.
Antique stores but not a shop where its all owned by the shop but one of the ones where people rent spaces out or glass case out. Just pick through all the cases and you will find gold well pipes. I got an Oom Paul for 10 bucks restored it now its my favorite pipe. Just two weeks ago I picked up a basket pipe made in london stamped I think from the camoy facotry for 18 bucks once again smokes amazing!
@abreathawayfromglory - Sometimes it hard to call some of the places I go "Antique Shops or stores" because they are just what you described - fancy fleamarkets. But you can find some treasure if you keep looking.
I followed this same advice from @pappyjoe. On my first venture out, I landed a Dunhill and a Comoy for under $20/each. Heading out again today with my wife for another look at a few more shops.
I gotta admit - I get my estates from reputable dealers. I've purchased from BriarBlues, Smoker's Haven, and SmokingPipes. All are great folks to deal with.
Brand of the Penn Tobacco Company formed in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania in 1901 by Russell Uhl († 1914) and Henry Weigand († 1942). Bruce Peters was a Treasurer of the company.
There were four pipes in the line offered by the company: the Bruce Peters (top of the line), the Silver Mac Duff, the Vox Pop, and the Broadcaster. The pipes were manufactured for Penn by Henry Leonard & Thomas, manufacturers of Dr. Grabow pre-smoked pipes.
They are both a bit rough but with a good cleaning and some wax they will make great additions to my collection.Found the at a antique store,$20 for both,he had a nice DG until I turned it around and it was split from the rim to the heel.
Go to the local auction houses that are known to auction anything, I bought a lot of 24 plus a 24 slot pipe rack for $50. I got An IRC Danish Freeform, an IRC 3 Star full bent meer lined Bull Dog, an unsmoked Atlantic Brandy Glass, 2 Wally Franks, a lot of Dr. G's( Sent them to a bunch of guys just starting out after full cleaning and disinfecting,) Some members on another site would encounter a disaster on their only pipe. (Chinese Cobs) so many of us would send them a pipe or two.
Most of my 70+ pipes were found at flea markets and "antique" stores. It gives me something to look for while my wife shops. I used to smoke all of them in rotation but most are now in storage because they smoked hot or wet and a few developed leaks and weren't worth repairing. My wife enjoys estate sales but I've not had any luck finding pipes there, but I'm still looking.
PipeProfessor
Apprentice
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Heading out again today with my wife for another look at a few more shops.
Brand of the Penn Tobacco Company formed in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania in 1901
by Russell Uhl († 1914) and Henry Weigand († 1942). Bruce Peters was a Treasurer
of the company.
There were four pipes in the line offered by the company:
the Bruce Peters (top of the line), the Silver Mac Duff,
the Vox Pop, and the Broadcaster. The pipes were manufactured
for Penn by Henry Leonard & Thomas, manufacturers of Dr. Grabow
pre-smoked pipes.
They are both a bit rough but with a good cleaning and some wax they will make great additions
to my collection.Found the at a antique store,$20 for both,he had a nice DG until I turned it around
and it was split from the rim to the heel.