Little help on Pipe Identification?

[luvmysuper]

Very interesting threads here gents, thanks so much for the expertise in so many aspects.
I see that there are obvious quality brands as well as the run of the mill cheapos.
When looking at Estate Pipes how the heck do you guys identify a maker or brand?
Aside from the white C, I have not been able to determine who makes what.
I mean, aside from a practiced eye, it seems that some of the cheap brands of pipes out there bear a striking resemblance to upper grade pipes (for obvious reasons).
How do you you fellas separate the wheat from the chaff?

 

[luvmysuper]

This site may help...

http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/index-en.html

All pipe makers will put an identifier on there first quality pipes. Seconds may be sold under another band (ie, Dunhill - Hardcastle), others I have seen the logo ground off, still others with nothing but the country of origin.

Price is not the qualifier. I remember a story from a tobacconist who had a booth next to a fellow selling custom freehands for $35. He sold none on the fisrt day. The next day he raised the price to $135 and sold them all.

Thanks for that, I appreciate the input.

So then, how would you go about selecting a nice pipe?
Is it basically trial and error, keeping what pleases you and dumping what doesn't?
Is there some way for someone new to this to have an advantage over just going out and buying random pipes to see if they are a decent quality?

 

[Blue_2]

Unfortunately there's a lot of hit or miss in estates, not unlike wet shaving. But there's a similar fix for that, buy from b/s/t type sources on good forums or reputable eBay pipe sellers.

For a newbie I still strongly suggest a Missouri Meerschaum cob. Excellent pipes, great smokability, and all at under $10. Plus the cob itself was grown in the USA, so you know that hazardous fertilizers and chemicals weren't used (like the Chinese knockoffs).

Here's some light reading for you.
http://pipedia.org/

 

[luvmysuper]

All great info fellas and it is appreciated.
This is nearly as daunting a task for someone new at it as starting with a straight was.
Cheers and thanks again.

 

[buyandhold2018]

Very interesting threads here gents, thanks so much for the expertise in so many aspects.
I see that there are obvious quality brands as well as the run of the mill cheapos.
When looking at Estate Pipes how the heck do you guys identify a maker or brand?
Aside from the white C, I have not been able to determine who makes what.
I mean, aside from a practiced eye, it seems that some of the cheap brands of pipes out there bear a striking resemblance to upper grade pipes (for obvious reasons).
How do you you fellas separate the wheat from the chaff?

For the higher grade pipes, hopefully the the nomenclature is intact. Sometimes on older estate pipes it's badly buffed away. Most of the high grades have the information stamped into the stem of the pipe.

 

[jwhite]

If you're in the market for collectible estates there are markings that identify them and can give clues as to when they were made. The number code stamped on Dunhill shanks indicate the precise year, one of the reasons they are well liked by collectors. If your unfamiliar with a brand places like this can be a big help in identifying a particular pipe or when it was made. If you're looking for a good smoker a brand is only relevant to the standard of quality it represents. However this can be deceiving when buying estates online, unless from a reputable dealer. Any brand can be burnt, gunked up, or plain old-fashioned broken.

Some things to look for when buying any pipe; does the stem fit well into the shank, does a cleaner pass easily into the bowl, are there any strong/foul odors in the pipe, is the bowl well grained, does the bowl and stem lack physical damage beyond oxidation and worn finish. If the pipe is in good condition and has the positive attributes you desire it will smoke well.

(most odors can be dealt with, but good to know ahead of time as it can be tedious removing some of the more powerful examples)

 

[Jim]

Phil,
These guys are a good resource for estate pipes that are renovated.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/index.cfm

 

[luvmysuper]

If you're in the market for collectible estates there are markings that identify them and can give clues as to when they were made. The number code stamped on Dunhill shanks indicate the precise year, one of the reasons they are well liked by collectors. If your unfamiliar with a brand places like this can be a big help in identifying a particular pipe or when it was made. If you're looking for a good smoker a brand is only relevant to the standard of quality it represents. However this can be deceiving when buying estates online, unless from a reputable dealer. Any brand can be burnt, gunked up, or plain old-fashioned broken.

Some things to look for when buying any pipe; does the stem fit well into the shank, does a cleaner pass easily into the bowl, are there any strong/foul odors in the pipe, is the bowl well grained, does the bowl and stem lack physical damage beyond oxidation and worn finish. If the pipe is in good condition and has the positive attributes you desire it will smoke well.

(most odors can be dealt with, but good to know ahead of time as it can be tedious removing some of the more powerful examples)

I was going to say that this post was worth its weight in Gold, but seeing as a post doesn't weigh anything that isn't really true!
Thanks for the pointers, it's exactly the type of info I was seeking when I posted this thread.
I did read the tutorials that you wrote in the sticky for this thread.
The Pipe Repair and Maintenance thread is truly great information and a real treasure trove for folks who are starting this journey.
I'll be out and about after Christmas and I'll let you know if my treasure hunting pans out!
Thanks again for taking the time to break this down into easily understood terms, I truly am grateful.

 

[jwhite]

Good deal, glad I could help. Can't wait to see what you find.

 

[luvmysuper]

Phil,
These guys are a good resource for estate pipes that are renovated.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/index.cfm

Thanks Jim, appreciate the link.

 

[RobAtSGH]

So then, how would you go about selecting a nice pipe?
Is it basically trial and error, keeping what pleases you and dumping what doesn't?
Is there some way for someone new to this to have an advantage over just going out and buying random pipes to see if they are a decent quality?

Affordable pipes, that are of pretty consistently good quality, to look for in the estate market:
* Comoy's (white "C")
* Peterson (Stylized "P", stamped "K & P Peterson" or "Peterson's" on the shank or band). The "Irish Made" line is a very good budget pipe.
* GBD ("GBD" in oval)
* Savinelli ("S" in a shield)
* Sasieni (Cursive "Sasieni" and pale blue dots on the stem, more dots = higher grades)
* Stanwell (white "S" with a crown over top, silver "S" is the hand-finished higher grades)

If you like the Danish styles:
* Nording (Stylized "N" on stem)
* Karl Erik (Stylized gold "E" on stem)
* W.O. Larsen (name stamped in shank)

And yeah, part of buying and collecting pipes is looking for good deals and selling off what you don't smoke. If you've got a tobacconist in your area that deals in estate pipes, you can look at 'em and their condition before you buy, even if they're probably going to be more than on eBay.

 

[luvmysuper]

Affordable pipes, that are of pretty consistently good quality, to look for in the estate market:
* Comoy's (white "C")
* Peterson (Stylized "P", stamped "K & P Peterson" or "Peterson's" on the shank or band). The "Irish Made" line is a very good budget pipe.
* GBD ("GBD" in oval)
* Savinelli ("S" in a shield)
* Sasieni (Cursive "Sasieni" and pale blue dots on the stem, more dots = higher grades)
* Stanwell (white "S" with a crown over top, silver "S" is the hand-finished higher grades)

If you like the Danish styles:
* Nording (Stylized "N" on stem)
* Karl Erik (Stylized gold "E" on stem)
* W.O. Larsen (name stamped in shank)

And yeah, part of buying and collecting pipes is looking for good deals and selling off what you don't smoke. If you've got a tobacconist in your area that deals in estate pipes, you can look at 'em and their condition before you buy, even if they're probably going to be more than on eBay.

I printed this out as a mini-cheat-sheet.

 

[joshmpdx]

This thread is great