"If You're the Sort"...

[cigrmaster]

All of my favorite pipes in my collection cost over 100.00 whether they were new or estate. All of my favorite pipes are artisan made except for my lone Castello. I have found over the years that I would rather own 30 high quality pipes than 60 or more lower quality ones as I get a much better smoking experience from my artisan made pipes. I have a pet peeve about ever having to use a pipe cleaner to soak up excess moisture( so none of my pipes that I own now ever need one) and I am really anal now in terms of the stems that I enjoy. I clench all the time so the stem is extremely important to the enjoyment of my pipes.

 

[Stinger4me]

The most expensive pipes in my collection are a Karl Erik and a large lattice Meerschaum. One of them was a gift the other and inheritance. My two favorite brands are Savinelli and Peterson. Life is all about choices and priorities, couldn't justify >$100. for a pipe. These days my purchases are replacement Missouri Meerschaums. Just my $.02!

Stinger

 

[DrT999]

None of the pipes I've bought recently have cost $100 (although a few have come close). The best of the recent pipes is actually a Brigham 1-dot bent Rhodesian. A few of the pipes I bought in the 1980s were in the $30-35 range, which would likely put them just over $100. A couple of them are still somewhere in storage, but the Jobey Ivory Prince is a great pipe for English blends

 

[Trifecta13]

My pipe collection is pretty close to a 50/50 split above and below the $100 mark. My current favorite cost over $100, but I'm fairly fickle; My preferences tend to change with the wind. That said, I've picked up a couple of estates under $100 (steals in my opinion), and they are phenomenal smokers as well. One important point that this thread raises is that cost and value are not necessarily inextricably tied to one another. That said, a pipe's value should be the value it holds for you- be that a Bo Nordh or a Missouri Meerschaum.

 

[monbla256]

I have a few Freehand Relief Charatan's that I got in the mid 70's and I paid around $50.00 each for them in '74 $s which mean they would have cost me around $185.11 each today. They have met and EXCEEDED all expectations since then so I guess you get what you pay for !!  :twisted: :twisted: Also makes me appreciate when I got all the pipes I have today at those prices rather than what they would command now !!!  :twisted:

 

[coalsmoke]

My cobwarden, with the Forever stem, falls under fifty bucks. My latest pipe, an estate Stanwell silver spigot blasted billiard, was a hundred bucks even. This year I want to buy some better pipes, all estates, so my budget will have to double.   

 

[Bluefisher]

I LOVE all of my estates, but my hands-down best smoker is a Mark Tinsky I bought new from him, and it was over $100. Worth every penny.  

 

[ExcessEnergy]

I have a Savinelli rusticated 803 EX Deluxe Canadian that has a large bowl over 2" high and is 8" overall in length that I bought for $75 back the late 90's.  It turned out to be as cool and sweet a smoker as pipes I own that cost over $400.  I was so impressed by it that I called Savinelli in Italy to try to buy more after every pipe store in Southern California was out of them.  Ever since, that pipe is the baseline against which all other pipes in my accumulation are measured for performance.  Now, like the rest of you, my eye is almost always drawn to pipes that look great and are almost invariably expensive.  But that pipe reinforced what I already knew, that quality of briar combined with design integrity, plus a certain shank length, will yield a comfortable and satisfying smoke every time, no matter how the pipe looks or how much I paid for it.  I have three other large bowl Savinelli rusticated Duco pipes (two bents and one Canadian), all of which are surprisingly satisfying at $75 a pop new late last year.  And there is the estate Lorenzo Grand Canadian 8.5" rusticated pipe with a huge bowl that smokes as well as the best pipes in my assortment that was bought for $45.  And, finally, there is the estate Jobey Dansk (Karl Erik) that I bought in the late 90's for $39 in Newport, which outperforms my Nordings and is bested as a freehand only by my Ben Wade Preben Holm and Tim West.

Now, as nice as the expensive (for me) Dunhills, Don Carloses, Morettis, Ascortis, Chacoms, James Upshalls, Orliks, Tim Wests and Rinaldis may be, I get a special pleasure out of the A-list smokers that came in below the $100 line.  I relive the pleasure of the bargain every time I light one of those guys up and reflect upon how one doesn't have to be rich to have a great experience.

Having said all of that, I am not above ordering custom-carved pipes and take satisfaction in how well they turn out.  But it's hard to beat a fine-smoking pipe that was also a bargain.

 

[SpeedyPete]

I have a Savinelli rusticated 803 EX Deluxe Canadian that has a large bowl over 2" high and is 8" overall in length that I bought for $75 back the late 90's.  It turned out to be as cool and sweet a smoker as pipes I own that cost over $400.  I was so impressed by it that I called Savinelli in Italy to try to buy more after every pipe store in Southern California was out of them.  Ever since, that pipe is the baseline against which all other pipes in my accumulation are measured for performance.  Now, like the rest of you, my eye is almost always drawn to pipes that look great and are almost invariably expensive.  But that pipe reinforced what I already knew, that quality of briar combined with design integrity, plus a certain shank length, will yield a comfortable and satisfying smoke every time, no matter how the pipe looks or how much I paid for it.  I have three other large bowl Savinelli rusticated Duco pipes (two bents and one Canadian), all of which are surprisingly satisfying at $75 a pop new late last year.  And there is the estate Lorenzo Grand Canadian 8.5" rusticated pipe with a huge bowl that smokes as well as the best pipes in my assortment that was bought for $45.  And, finally, there is the estate Jobey Dansk (Karl Erik) that I bought in the late 90's for $39 in Newport, which outperforms my Nordings and is bested as a freehand only by my Ben Wade Preben Holm and Tim West.

Now, as nice as the expensive (for me) Dunhills, Don Carloses, Morettis, Ascortis, Chacoms, James Upshalls, Orliks, Tim Wests and Rinaldis may be, I get a special pleasure out of the A-list smokers that came in below the $100 line.  I relive the pleasure of the bargain every time I light one of those guys up and reflect upon how one doesn't have to be rich to have a great experience.

Having said all of that, I am not above ordering custom-carved pipes and take satisfaction in how well they turn out.  But it's hard to beat a fine-smoking pipe that was also a bargain.

And I can say "AMEN" to that  :cheers:

 

[ftrplt]

First $100 pipe I ever bought...Ser Jacopo R2 large tanshell rusticated (DH 6/ODA or B) billiard. Darn near 30 years old now. Has always smoked like a dream!! I thought I had totally lost my mind buying a $100 pipe!!!!!! :shock: FTRPLT

 

[joshoowah]

The best smoker I have is a Teipen. Second best is a Nording. Both cost me over $100.

 

[ExcessEnergy]

" I thought I had totally lost my mind buying a $100 pipe!!!!!! FTRPLT"

i know just what you mean. My girlfriend at the time, whom I had known ever since high school, said that I was finally going over the line the first time that I bought one for more than $100. What she and I both did not know was that once you cross that threshold, it is far easier to do it again.

 

[ftrplt]

" I thought I had totally lost my mind buying a $100 pipe!!!!!!  FTRPLT"

i know just what you mean. My girlfriend at the time, whom I had known ever since high school, said that I was finally going over the line the first time that I bought one for more than $100. What she and I both did not know was that once you cross that threshold, it is far easier to do it again.

Oh yeah!!!! I have "crossed the threshold" on many occasions since then!!! :twisted: FTRPLT

 

[joshoowah]

" I thought I had totally lost my mind buying a $100 pipe!!!!!!  FTRPLT"

i know just what you mean. My girlfriend at the time, whom I had known ever since high school, said that I was finally going over the line the first time that I bought one for more than $100. What she and I both did not know was that once you cross that threshold, it is far easier to do it again.

Oh yeah!!!! I have "crossed the threshold" on many occasions since then!!! :twisted: FTRPLT

You are indeed right. The fact is, for me, I shall never buy a pipe under $100 again most likely. I buy so few pipes now that I typically save up for one that I really like. My next purchase will be $200+, I'm sure, as I am in the market for a morta pipe.

 

[Anonymous]

Single favorite pipe of all : a Sasquatch (> $100).   :heart: 

Coming in March : an Ocelot88 (> $100).


:face:

 

[Bluefisher]

Coming in March : an Ocelot88 (over).

:face:

Oooohhh I can't wait to see what Jesse is cooking up for you!

 

[Anonymous]

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[fsu92john]

My two best smokers are a Mastro de Paja and a circa-2000 Dunhill, both of which cost well over $100. But I have several Savinellis that I paid less than $100 for that are just about as good, and one of my Sasienis, for which I paid less than $50 new, is not only a great smoker, but also has the prettiest sandblast of any pipe I own. There are great pipes in many price ranges.

 

[Anonymous]

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[DrumsAndBeer]

Over. My two favorites to smoke are a 66 Dunhill Shell Briar, and a recently acquired pipe from Jesse Jones. Both are billiards.