Are You A Pipe Collector or A Pipe Smoker?

[mark]

Well now this IS an interesting topic,,,I envision pipe collecting as accumulating high priced artwork in the form of a functional smoking instrument,,,whether for arts sake or an investment,,,,choosing rare, handmade, limited available pipes of the utmost quality using the best and most highly sought materials ,,,,not totally out of reach of my smoking budget, ( for a whole year or two ), but realistically I'd be afraid to smoke the best pipe on the planet. However these gems are probably just as well appreciated as art by those of us that are financially embarassed and can't engage in the hobby. I myself can't justify $800 for a mid range collectible but I completely understand the allure. Collectible Pipes are like women, there's always one with more curves promising excitement, a style exuding adventure, an out of control free spirit taunting you to hold tight and hang on,,,and although they're a sight to behold, they travel in Maseratis and attend black tie affairs sipping champagne.





I drive a Chevy pickup and drink Bud light at the VFW,,,,,,,, :lol!:

 

[vaperfavour]

I notice a reluctance for anyone to call themselves a collector. how strange! wonder why this is.......

 

[Anonymous]

Collectible Pipes are like women, there's always one with more curves promising excitement, a style exuding adventure, an out of control free spirit taunting you to hold tight and hang on,,,and although they're a sight to behold, they travel in Maseratis and attend black tie affairs sipping champagne.





I drive a Chevy pickup and drink Bud light at the VFW,,,,,,,, :lol!:

Most excellent comparison!

 

[richmondesi]

I notice a reluctance for anyone to call themselves a collector. how strange! wonder why this is.......

I don't think it's a reluctance to call themselves a collector, rather, I think it's the simple fact that there aren't any people that are purely collectors among us. My opinion on pipes is similar to another one that I saw on this forum already. Pipe smoking is a lifestyle choice (one that I'm new to, but think I will enjoy). I don't see that pipe collectors (only) would be the type of people that would hang out on a forum like BoB.

This place is a refuge for people that are fanatical about their lifestyle. And it is a place to find like-minded people who feel the same way. For example, if I score a valuable unsmoked pipe, I'll be excited about being the first person to smoke a bowl with it. I think that there are a lot of people here that share that same mind-set. JMO

 

[Dock]

I notice a reluctance for anyone to call themselves a collector. how strange! wonder why this is.......

Men aren't supposed to be consumers in our society as that would be seen as feminine somehow! If we buy a tool (ie pipe) we must use that tool! Only women are allowed costly indulgences! :lol:

 

[the macdonald]

Men aren't supposed to be consumers in our society as that would be seen as feminine somehow! If we buy a tool (ie pipe) we must use that tool! Only women are allowed costly indulgences!

I disagree with that, men collect all sort of things that are acceptable as the norm. Go to a collectors show of anything and you'll usually see an ocean of men with a few dragging their wives with them. I think with pipes, the asthestic of a pipe is only half of the equation for most people. The other half is the smoke, so it is hard to say "yup I bought all these pipes to look at," therefore a collector, when its only half of our hobby.

 

[Oddball]

I guess if I could afford to be a collector I would but I would still be a smoker? The only pipes I dont smoke are a few that were my grandfathers and one 50's-60's era Yello Bole nova made of brylon and still has the honey coating in the bowl.
Im truly interested in how other people veiw their "collections" as im writing a book on collecting. (dont be expecting it any time soon though as im writing it long hand)

 

[Idlefellow]

To me a true collector needs a mission: pipes from particular makers, perhaps, or pipes with unique shapes, pipes with spectacular grain, etc, etc...my wife thinks I'm a collector because I have (in her opinion) too many pipes. Actually it's been some time since I've bought a pipe, but back when I did, it was simply because I was a pipe smoker who found it hard to walk away from a pipe I found interesting, whatever the reason.

 

[mattmiller]

collector and smoker,i guess pipemakers make pipes to be smoked.when i can afford a really high grade pipe,i can,t wait to smoke it.matt

 

[john-in-kc]

I was talking with several folk at the Reno show. There are people who buy new pipes for their artistry/artisanship and simply display them. They are out there, and I will not deny them their enjoyment of the briar either.

Yes I collect pipes. Yes, I smoke pipes. I do both.

 

[Dock]

Below is a pipe that I own that will NEVER get smoked (by me anyhow). The reason being that with the way the rim is made it would undoubtably discolour and darken up in a hurry. Why smoke it when I own dozens of pipes that can be lit up and enjoyed without fear of devaluation? Mark Tinsky owned it before I did. He couldn't smoke it either :lol:

 

[Winslow]

Is that a Walt Cannoy pipe or one of Marks?

Winslow :sunny:

 

[mark]

Now THAT is a work of art,,,

 

[richmondesi]

I'd still smoke it... ipe:

 

[NSPiper]

To quote Bill Unger of NASPC: If you have one pipe, you're a pipe smoker. If you have more than one pipe, you're a pipe collector.

Great statement. Don't think anybody here has only one pipe, so we are all collectors.

I guess we all start out as smokers and turn to becoming collectors of different scales.

I like collecting pipes, not for their rarity, but for their beauty and smokability. While I can't pay the top dollar for certain pipes I would love to have, I'm trying to get the pipes that are within my limits, bearing in mind the aesthetics that are pleasing to me and also trying to be careful about the engineering aspects of the pipe so that it can deliver a good smoke. For instance, I could never get any joy out of the three Charatans I ever had, and wouldn't have another one, no matter how good the occasion may be. Now, that would make me a smoker...

I smoke my pipes, but I also love to look at them, keep them in a display cabinet rather than on straight racks. Naturally there are preferences about handling them, which means while some some of them are OK to be roughed up there are certain ones that are handled with kid gloves. So, I believe this makes me a collector/smoker.

Cheers
Ken

 

[Muddler]

The thought of of buying a pipe with the intention of NOT smoking it is anathema to me, but I can understand why someone would do it. That makes them an investor, not a collector, IMO. The hallmark of a collector is a theme or themes & expert knowledge around those themes. Otherwise, one is an accumulator. I have a few themes that I'm pursuing, but not avidly or with any great wealth of knowledge. It's very much a side line. I guess that makes me a pipe smoker first & a collector second.

 

[Anonymous]

At one time, I would have answered an enthusiastic: smoker! This was back when I wanted pipes just to smoke. Had a 7 day rotation for most of my life.

Bout three years I kicked up my collection, gradewise, I guess. At that point, I was reluctant to smoke some of my pipes due to the money investment. But then I thought to myself, "Self, you just paid that much money to LOOK at a pipe and maybe hold it in my hand." This makes no sense. I immediately smoked any pipe that was unsmoked on my rack. I almost want to say that I was becoming a collector.

Now, I have pipes I bought because I knew the smoking characteristics would be good when I bought them; I also have pipes that I bought because they were aesthetically pleasing to me. Does that make my a hybrid to?

I only have 1 unsmoked pipe in my house; a Tinsky 2000 Christmas pipe (I have 2 of them). Not sure why I haven't smoked it, but I'm not purposely letting it sit there unsmoked.

I think I would be considered a smoker....


As a P.S.:
Same thing happened to my gun collection. I got rid of anything I could not bring myself to discharge and replaced them with shooters. (Things are different in Texas)

 

[LL]

It think "smoker or collector?" is the wrong question. Better is, "pipe collector or pipe accumulator?"

A collector can explain why he bought a certain pipe, while an accumulator can't (beyond "I just liked it," anyway)

 

[Mikem]

It think "smoker or collector?" is the wrong question. Better is, "pipe collector or pipe accumulator?"

A collector can explain why he bought a certain pipe, while an accumulator can't (beyond "I just liked it," anyway)

That's pretty much me in a nutshell.

 

[MichaelD]

I collect smokers and doubt that will change. I have seen pipes that I would not smoke but one has never made its way to my collection.