How many pipes do you own?
- Thread starter Mike H
- Start date
My suspicion was correct: you have some beautiful pipes. The gourd on that calabash is beautiful. My local shop has a small one that I'm thinking about getting to dip my toe into the world of calabash's.
I loved smoking the calabash but get a stand for it. It’s difficult to put down without a stand while smoking it.
Let it dry out well in between smokes.
How did you like my collection of tampers? I bought it at Astley’s in London years ago. I bought the Dunhill in the London Shop too. They told me at Iwan Ries in Chicago that with the original box and glove leather pouch that it came in that it's a collectors item.
I was hoping to go to the big pipe show in Chicago in May but because of Covid all shows of that sort aren’t happening for the time being. Hopefully in 2021 it will.
I just added a Wiebe to the collection tonight. They’ve always fascinated me so now I’ll find out. I like the idea of changing bowls so I can use the same stem but change bowls for English, aromatic, Virginia’s, etc.
Going to the pipe shows to sell them? You can always try the BST here at B&B, Pipestud, treasure pipes... Other shops can sell them on consignment as well if you don't want to risk the bay.
No Falcon for me. Not for a while yet anyways. A Bones on the other hand, that's a real possibility.You've caught me up already! Or at least you will when you get your Falconthen the only thing I'll have that you don't is the Mr Brogs, which only cost the same as cobs anyway
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The only Bones sitter over here, is the Hourglass Poker. That's far too similar to other pipes I have here. A Savinelli Grezza 305, same model as that Tortuga I just returned, but unfinished, is cheaper and tweakable to get it how I want it (stable sitting and with no sharp edges)... but I have too many other pipes in the works ... and I think a Nording Compass is a more likely next step for me.
But not yet.
I said above I have eight briars, but in essence, it's only five, as three of those aren't even in my hand yet.
They're still laid away - one I get in a matter of days, and the other two at the end of the year. I suppose that means you're way ahead of me already 
Loved the tampers. For years, I used a pipe nail (very basic). Just last year I started to look at nicer ones. My daily carry tamper is one made from .38 and .223 brass. It's cheap so I don't get too upset if I lose it while on the move.
Yes ultimately I suppose I’d like to sell them but I’d like to try to establish a value for them. I know they’re only with what someone else is willing pay.
These pipes were all purchased in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I was told the Dunhill is a one of a kind piece especially with the box and bag the pipe came in so that might command a premium price but again it’s only worth what someone else will pay..... so market forces in play.
I see consignment sellers asking good prices for Charatan’s in the same years as mine. Then I see some on the bay with low prices so cost is all over the place.
Any insight on appraising a pipes market value? Can I ask that broad general question here?
Pipestud. Check out his page and see if you want to email him. He may even tell you somwhere to send that Dunhill. One never knows.
Pipe prices are slightly everywhere. They vary so much week to week. I'm looking for a silver mounted Dunhill bulldog. Specific. Sometimes they go for $500. Sometimes $300. Depends on pictures and condition .
If you think you have a dollar amount you'd like to get with each, go with that?
I think 17 or maybe 18. I haven't completely unpacked the box I packed them all into back in about 2003 or -04. I remember having a meerschaum with an amber-colored stem, and I don't see it in there; it might be packed differently or separately, or maybe it got broken.
From memory:
1 Morta
4 Briars
16 Cobs
1 Cob Cigar
1 Morta
4 Briars
16 Cobs
1 Cob Cigar
Lefonque
Even more clueless than you
I haven’t smoked in two years but I still have 6 pipes left all hand made that I commissioned. Beautiful workmanship.
I'm in the mid 40's at the moment. I should thin the herd, but where's the fun in that?
It’s no fun at all. I periodically realize the insanity of having so many pipes, and the idea of selling any of them gives me anxiety. Even the crappier ones. For 30.00 bucks I might as well just keep it. Might need it one day ya know?
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Creeping upwards a little here.
With what's on the way, I'm at 10 briars, 4 pearwood, and 5 cobs. The briars are the only ones I count though, so if any of my real life (non-pipe smoker) friends asked, I'd say I had 10. The others, to me, are semi-disposable, or sacrificial pipes, predominantly smokes on bad health days, when I don't trust my coordination with my briars.
I had been using several of the cobs and pears for shorter smokes, as I was sorely lacking small bowled briars, but have been remedying that recently. I now have 6 briars I consider full size (20mm wide x 35mm-40mm deep), and 4 (or 4.1/2 if you count the second falcon bowl) smaller briars, which take about half the amount of tobacco as the others.
** Not fully decided which goes where yet
With what's on the way, I'm at 10 briars, 4 pearwood, and 5 cobs. The briars are the only ones I count though, so if any of my real life (non-pipe smoker) friends asked, I'd say I had 10. The others, to me, are semi-disposable, or sacrificial pipes, predominantly smokes on bad health days, when I don't trust my coordination with my briars.
I had been using several of the cobs and pears for shorter smokes, as I was sorely lacking small bowled briars, but have been remedying that recently. I now have 6 briars I consider full size (20mm wide x 35mm-40mm deep), and 4 (or 4.1/2 if you count the second falcon bowl) smaller briars, which take about half the amount of tobacco as the others.
| Tobacco type | larger briar | smaller briar | "sacrificial" pipe |
| English | Parker Cherrywood | n/a | Brog Chochla |
| Lakeland | Ben Wade Banjo | Nording Compass** | Brog Cent or MM Lakeland |
| VaPer | Parker Bent Panel | Ben Wade Reader** | Brog Puella |
| Virginia | Dr Plumb Bermuda Bulldog | Peterson Barrel** | Brog Puella or Small Cob |
| Aromatics | Parker Panel | Falcon Bulldog | Small Cob |
| General/ Anything | Parker Poker | Falcon Dublin** | Small Cob |
| Flake | (by tobacco type) | (by tobacco type) | Brog Leader |
** Not fully decided which goes where yet
You are getting there. And I appreciate the slight obfuscation!
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Yeah, three out of the four "unknowns" are new, and two haven't even arrived yet, so I won't understand their characteristics until I've put a few smokes through them.
I've aborted on the notion of a meer bowl for the Falcon, and the possibility of a custom Dublin/Zulu further down the line, as I break things far too often. My spatial awareness issues robbed me of several drinking mugs last year, and I've now moved to stainless steel double walled ones. It would be foolish to consider a pricey or delicate pipe. I need to work on the assumption that all pipes WILL be dropped and/or clattered hard against something in the course of its regular use.
If I know I'm having an off-day, I'll reach for a sacrificial pipe, but can be prone to serious misjudgement of my surrounding even on the best of days. Keep it simple. Keep it cheap. Less heartache when something gets mangled.
You gentlemen are amazing.
I wouldn't know what to do with more than a dozen or so pipes. My daily working rotation is usually about ten favorites at any one time.
Occasionally, I creep up to 14 or 16, and then my son gets a couple, typically my Grabows, or something I didn’t take to or moved on from. Those that get exiled from rotation sit in the drawer until the ‘Pipe Rescue’ arrives.
I wouldn't know what to do with more than a dozen or so pipes. My daily working rotation is usually about ten favorites at any one time.
Occasionally, I creep up to 14 or 16, and then my son gets a couple, typically my Grabows, or something I didn’t take to or moved on from. Those that get exiled from rotation sit in the drawer until the ‘Pipe Rescue’ arrives.
65 briars (Down from 200+), 10 meers (5 currently in use) and a box of cobs (3 currently in use).
