Locating Estate Pipes

[rdomfoto]

First, insert obscenity about Dave (Grrrr) pushing me down this slope.

Second, for you gents who shop for estate pipes, where do you typically go to look? I assume craigslist and Ebay, but do you ever attend estate sales and/or garage sales?

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

^^^ This, X2. Especially the obscenities bit...

 

[Sirspanksalot]

I've tried estate sales several times. I went once after seeing "antique pipes" as a listing. No pics, but it was a 5 min drive so I went. It was two of those mini cobs, and a regular sized one. 40 bucks for the big one, and 15 for each of the minis. Fuck outta here trying to rip me off

 

[rdomfoto]

I've tried estate sales several times. I went once after seeing "antique pipes" as a listing. No pics, but it was a 5 min drive so I went. It was two of those mini cobs, and a regular sized one. 40 bucks for the big one, and 15 for each of the minis. Fuck outta here trying to rip me off

It seems to me that the difference between a "garage sale" and an "estate sale" is about 300% (markup) but, otherwise...

I was thinking garage sales would be a better target since they are not typically well advertised and the people running them often don't know the value of the items they're selling. For example, the guy who bought a couple of boxes of old photographs at a garage sale for $45 that turned out to be shot by Ansel Adams and whose value could be upwards of $200 million. (http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/07/27/ansel.adams.discovery/)

But I am also thinking that I'll have to go to a lot of garage sales before someone is selling something worthwhile and not just a cob - after all, not knowing the value also means over-pricing things, too.

 

[Sirspanksalot]

I guess that's part of the fun, right? Happy hunting!

 

[rdomfoto]

I guess that's part of the fun, right? Happy hunting!

"Fun"? We'll see. I find fun in finding, not looking :rofl:

That's why I suck at fishing

 

[Hoshneer]

Local shops sometimes have great deals.

 

[stukibuilt]

A lot of the big sites (4noggins, smokingpipes, etc) have estate pipes listed. EBay seems to be the most plentiful. There is a small pipe shop downtown I haven't been in in years I've been meaning to stop in just to check it out again from a pipers perspective.

 

[bballbaby]

I've got an old Merschaum (sp?) from an estate that's in pretty nice shape. Has the case too. It's likely pretty darned old...everything I got from that house is like 100+ yrs old...no joking. ANyhow, it's available for trade for cigars if anyone is interested. I'll post pics if anyone wants.

 

[stin187]

FleaBay is where I've been looking for the most part. I tend to try to stop into antique shops as well from time to time. And I'm another Grrrrr "victim" here!

 

[59Bassman]

Not sure I'm all in yet, but I'm curious. I had my first pipe this weekend and really enjoyed it. I don't know that I trust what I'm getting at my local B&M and I'm not sure I want to order online. I do hit antique stores frequently looking for vintage razors. And while I know I find a metric tonne of pipe racks, I'm not sure how many pipes I've actually seen.

I have a pretty strong DIY ethic, but I'm not positive how I feel about pre-smoked pipes. Watching this thread closely for ideas.

 

[Grrrrr609]

FleaBay is where I've been looking for the most part. I tend to try to stop into antique shops as well from time to time. And I'm another Grrrrr "victim" here!

Hahahahahahahaha. Success

 

[Grrrrr609]

First, insert obscenity about Dave (Grrrr) pushing me down this slope.

Second, for you gents who shop for estate pipes, where do you typically go to look? I assume craigslist and Ebay, but do you ever attend estate sales and/or garage sales?

Hahahahahahaha. I love it

 

[Grrrrr609]

I have a pretty strong DIY ethic, but I'm not positive how I feel about pre-smoked pipes. Watching this thread closely for ideas.

A guy posted this on a forum during a conversation about estate pipes.

"Do you take your own silverware to a restaurant? "

I clean and sanitize my estate pipes. I use a pipe retort on most of them. Actually I clean and sanitize a new pipe too.

 

[Xavier Dredo]

First, insert obscenity about Dave (Grrrr) pushing me down this slope.

Second, for you gents who shop for estate pipes, where do you typically go to look? I assume craigslist and Ebay, but do you ever attend estate sales and/or garage sales?

Send me your addy bro, I've got dozen of estate pipes that need refurbishing, most between 30-60 years old. I'd be happy to send a few to practice on.

 

[cgraunke]

And sometimes antique stores, believe it or not.

 

[Grrrrr609]

Ok so I typed a long response to the op on this thread but my internet went down and I lost it all. Let me try again.

Auctions
Flea markets
Yard sales
The bay
Other online sources
Uncle Joes attic etc

A year ago I was getting estate pipe lots for 15-25 bucks now I'm lucky to get a single pipe for that. Best way is to figure out what u want, either make, shape etc and search for just that.

Local shops will charge more than ebay but u know what u get. Online not so much. Lister may not show damages. Look under my restoration thread for an example.

Flea markets or yard sales can be hit or miss. U may find that birth year Dunhill cheap or they may have a Missouri Meershaum for 20 bucks.

Best thing to do is just keep your eyes open. I walked into a local shop the other day. The owner follows my IG account. He says, "since your into this here u can have these" and hands me 3 estate pipes. One being a Dunhill.

 

[rdomfoto]

I have a pretty strong DIY ethic, but I'm not positive how I feel about pre-smoked pipes. Watching this thread closely for ideas.

A guy posted this on a forum during a conversation about estate pipes.

"Do you take your own silverware to a restaurant? "

I clean and sanitize my estate pipes. I use a pipe retort on most of them. Actually I clean and sanitize a new pipe too.

It's funny, since I have no qualms about smoking an estate pipe (because I know that they've been cleaned and sanitized) I have different thoughts. I love the idea of smoking an old pipe. Pipes are created by artisans and their work deserves to live on for generations (any art, IMHO, deserves that). So, for me, smoking an old pipe adds me to the history of that briar and hopefully it will be still in use 100 years from now.

We get so accustomed to thinking that objects belong to us but, in truth, we often belong to the object when it has a life span two or three times ours.

Perhaps I am over-romanticizing it, but I like the notion of being involved with something that existed before I did and will continue to exist after I am gone. For the same reason, I am looking for a safety razor from 1967 (I was born in 68).

Again, damn you, Dave!

 

[rdomfoto]

First, insert obscenity about Dave (Grrrr) pushing me down this slope.

Second, for you gents who shop for estate pipes, where do you typically go to look? I assume craigslist and Ebay, but do you ever attend estate sales and/or garage sales?

Send me your addy bro, I've got dozen of estate pipes that need refurbishing, most between 30-60 years old. I'd be happy to send a few to practice on.

I'll send you a PM. We can work out a trade, I'm sure

 

[rdomfoto]

Ok so I typed a long response to the op on this thread but my internet went down and I lost it all. Let me try again.

Auctions
Flea markets
Yard sales
The bay
Other online sources
Uncle Joes attic etc

A year ago I was getting estate pipe lots for 15-25 bucks now I'm lucky to get a single pipe for that. Best way is to figure out what u want, either make, shape etc and search for just that.

Local shops will charge more than ebay but u know what u get. Online not so much. Lister may not show damages. Look under my restoration thread for an example.

Flea markets or yard sales can be hit or miss. U may find that birth year Dunhill cheap or they may have a Missouri Meershaum for 20 bucks.

Best thing to do is just keep your eyes open. I walked into a local shop the other day. The owner follows my IG account. He says, "since your into this here u can have these" and hands me 3 estate pipes. One being a Dunhill.

I think I am just gonna start calling you 'coach'. LOL

Thanks - a lot of garage sales and flea markets around here, so now I have a reason to start going.