What Is The Most You've Ever Paid For A Pipe?
ghostsofpompeii
Master
I just left the EBAY pipe auction site and noticed two pipes going for an astronomical sum of money ... a Kent Rasmussen Pipe listed at $11,500.00 and a Lasse Skougaard for $7,500.00. For the life of me I can't fathom anyone in their right mind paying that much for a pipe unless the briar comes from an enchanted forest in Ireland with three wishes attached to it. What could you possibly do with that Kent Rasmussen pipe once you've bought it, other than preserve it under glass in a hermetically sealed display case? It's a museum piece. I can't imagine the owner striking a match anywhere near it, let alone actually smoke it because that would devalue the pipe. And pipes are made to smoke. But with a price tag of $11,500.00 or $7,500.00 an investment like that would never leave the display case.
But coming back down to Earth, and if I may be so bold as to ask, what is the most you've ever spent for a pipe?
Or if you're a relative newcomer to pipe collecting and your current collection consists of cobs, an inexpensive basket pipe, or a good old reliable Dr. Grabow or Medico purchased from a drug store... what is the maximum price you would pay for a pipe?
Comments
I remember reading in one of Rick Newcomb's books, how the values of collectible pipes have skyrocketed. It seems that one of Bo Nordh's pipes went for around $30,000 and was purchased by either a Chinese or Japanese businessman. To someone who makes millions of dollars a year, $30,000 would be similar to you or I paying $100.
When you are talking prices at that level, you are talking about pipes that have collectible value, number one because of who carved them, and number two, because there are very few of them left in existence. Some collectors decide to set their sights on putting together a 7 day set, from a carver that has a deep roots in pipe making history. If you are planning to put together an unsmoked Sixten Ivarsson 7 day set, you are going to need patience and deep pockets. After waiting a decade to find an unsmoked Bamboo Peewit, you might be inclined to pay more than you originally intended.
You have to realize that some of these people are the same that collect very expensive art and wines. Like I have said before, it all comes down to personal satisfaction, and people with lots of money can sometimes be harder to please or impress. Since ebay is a worldwide market, you will find sellers selling everyday items for outrageous prices. If you doubt this, start searching on ebay for average items, and narrow your search to highest first. Also, note where the item is located, which will sometimes make you smirk.
When it comes to reasonable pipe prices, I have found that there is a breaking point, between paying for craftsmanship, and paying for brand. Most pipes below a certain price range, have very little attention paid to internal stem work. Since good stem work can take as long or longer to finish than the briar, pipe prices can double or triple due to increased labor. So how much difference does internal stem work make? It can make a slight difference in tongue bite, condensation buildup, and temperature of smoke, but arguably it is slight.
Think of it this way, if a pipe maker spends 40 hours carving a single pipe, and sells it for $800, they are earning $20 per hour before taxes. I think it goes without saying that they are not getting rich quick. However, some pipe makers have processes that take longer than others, to achieve the results they are known for.
On the flip side of the coin, there is something called the law of diminishing returns. I have a general idea in my own mind where that dollar figure lies, and when I see pipes priced above that price point, I feel that were I to purchase a particular pipe, I would be paying the extra money for brand.
I remember when I went down to a local tobacconist to buy my first pipe, I made up my mind that I would not spend over $100. I ended up purchasing a pipe marked $150 for $120. This was the major hurdle for me getting into pipe smoking, because I felt the prices for pipes were outrageous. Back then, I didn't know enough about the hobby to know that a quality block of briar can go for $50 to $100 in today's market. I also hadn't learned that some excellent estate pipes can be obtained, at a fraction of their original cost.
When I started learning about pipe smoking history, and highly skilled pipe carvers, it changed my attitude concerning what I am willing to pay for a pipe. It's as hard to say what I would pay for a particular pipe, as is the question of I would pay for a new car. I remember my dad paying $11,500 for a new Cadillac in the mid 70's, but you won't see a new one for that price today.
I won't take out a loan to finance a pipe, but I have been known to put one on layaway.
I bought a Peterson new from the now defunct Peterson Counter at Shannon Airport for $65 in 1972, all the rest of them were bought by my Wife as Birthday Presents bought in the same place till 1981. When I discovered Estate Pipes I set my limit to $65 and have never exceeded it.