Take a look at this piece of wood!

[LIPIPE]

So the conversation and the thesis goes full circle. Should a fellow who enjoys a great smoke in a pipe pay a king's ransom for a simple tool as a pipe to kick back, relax, and savor a solitary manly respite in a hectic life? My pipe tonight is a no name straight grain smooth billiard that I acquired as an estate on e-bay for $15.00. My pack is Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard and I'm ecstatic.

 

[NeroWolfe]

Indeed!!! I guess it comes down to a combination of "Live and let live" and "Don't worry, be happy!" Or, as a clergyman once told me, his secret to counseling was to use the phrase: "You are right, you are absolutley right!" one-hundred times for every time he said "No, you are wrong; you need to rethink that!"

Have I managed to confuse everybody now???? LOL !

 

[Airborne]

So the conversation and the thesis goes full circle. Should a fellow who enjoys a great smoke in a pipe pay a king's ransom for a simple tool as a pipe to kick back, relax, and savor a solitary manly respite in a hectic life? My pipe tonight is a no name straight grain smooth billiard that I acquired as an estate on e-bay for $15.00. My pack is Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard and I'm ecstatic.

And ultimately, that is the beauty of a pipe - it (regardless of price) can be enjoyed by its owner and be a source of pleasure. That's what it's all about! Full stop!

 

[Harlock999]

So the conversation and the thesis goes full circle. Should a fellow who enjoys a great smoke in a pipe pay a king's ransom for a simple tool as a pipe to kick back, relax, and savor a solitary manly respite in a hectic life? My pipe tonight is a no name straight grain smooth billiard that I acquired as an estate on e-bay for $15.00. My pack is Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard and I'm ecstatic.

Cheers Marty!
In theory (or the internet), we can complicate things as much as we want, but in reality, it's such a simple pleasure.
My $12 ebay investment in a no name sandblasted billiard is still bringing in nice returns.
Chris.

 

[Airborne]

Buying an expensive pipe and not smoking it is tantamount to buying a Lamborghini and not driving it

This I can't agree with.
Because a Lamborghini performs nothing like my Oldsmobile. Comparing that complex machine to the types of vehicles most of us drive is futile. That, and cars need to be driven or they fall apart.
That Castello however, will not perform any differently than any other well made pipe. It can't. There's just no way to engineer it to be that superior. It's too simple a tool.

It is fun talking about it though.

Cheers, Chris. :cheers:

Yes, I agree with you, Chris. But (there's always a but, eh?) both the Lamborghini and the Olds will get you from point A to point B. Both the Castello in question and a thirty dollar Savinelli will afford a pipe smoker an excellent smoke, but there is a psychological dimension to the Castello that would be lacking in the Savinelli. Part of the price of a high grade pipe involves the beauty and the artistry and the rarity of the pipe. The pipe smoker feels different smoking such a pipe. The Castello will indeed perform differently albeit only in the mind of its owner. Add to that the history and tradition of a Castello or a Dunhill or a Becker or the other dozens of high grade pipes and you have a complex mixture that says to the pipe smoker - “Smoke me! That’s why I am here!” It's built into the cost of the pipe!

Okay, I’m being a little melodramatic, but you get my point.

 

[Airborne]

Indeed!!! I guess it comes down to a combination of "Live and let live" and "Don't worry, be happy!"

Hear, hear!

 

[LIPIPE]

All brothers, we are, and all points of view well taken. My only regret is that we cannot all relax together, light up, have a scotch and enjoy ourselves in a personal discussion group. What a pleasure that would be.

 

[Airborne]

All brothers, we are, and all points of view well taken. My only regret is that we cannot all relax together, light up, have a scotch and enjoy ourselves in a personal discussion group. What a pleasure that would be.

That would indeed be cool!

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

This is the first pipe that I've seen that I would buy to own, not smoke. It's that perfect, and I have 50 pipes that more than take care of my pipe needs.

Just absolutely splendid and perfect and awesome! Awesome!

 

[MisterE]

Personally I´d have a hard time firing that one up. The symmetry is nearly perfect, nary a sandpit, and a terrific natural color. If the band had been silver or gold instead of "Viva Italia" it´d be better still. Something like this is nowhere within my means so, fortunately, I will not have to ponder the "to smoke or not to smoke" dilemma. On the other hand, just saving it as a "keepsake" or investment really denies the total experience of owning such a piece. I can see both sides of the argument.

At my Mom's house there is a coffee table made from the root burl of a huge tree. I don't know what kind of tree it was, but it must have been sizeable. It's just a simple cross section of the burl but they really nailed the placement of the cut. The table has a perfect birdseye pattern magnified 1000x's a pipe's size. By itself it really is magnificent- hardly something you'd want to put your dripping wet Big Gulp and breakfast burrito on. She's had it as long as I can remember too. As a pipe smoker/collector/enthusiast I can really appreciate the rarity of such a piece. Asking what something costs is considered very rude by my Mom so, well, I just don´t ask. I will venture a guess that it didn't come cheap.

It sits in her TV room, however. Almost everyone including Mom puts their feet up on it. Even my son Miguel gets in on it by leaving a "Crayola Picasso" from time to time. She just wipes it down regularly with a little Pledge and it still looks as it always has- amazing. It´s part of the daily houshold routine. Her attiude is that she likes it so much she wants to use it. It´s still a piece of art, but we get to use it. How cool is that!?

 

[AlanJohn]

I wouldn't put a match to anything that cost that much, that would be like burning my pension.

 

[Harlock999]

I wouldn't put a match to anything that cost that much, that would be like burning my pension.

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

*shrug* No one mentioned the option of owning two: one to smoke and one to keep pristine.

It's beautiful, but for $3K+, I'd have to say I'd like a little different finish. I'll just run over it with some sandpaper and Minwax it to my liking. That'll work. Heh.

 

[Boulder]

IMHO, I believe that works of Art are meant to be appreciated and displayed for self pleasure and the enjoyment by others.

It is no different then Stamp collecting, Coins, Comics, Baseball cards and for those who can afford them Rare objects.

I would luv to think I could lite it up, but know inside I would be ruining for all the chance to look and admire it's original beauty.

Just my take for what it's worth, John.

 

[s.ireland]

If I could afford a pipe like that, and wanted to buy it, I would have no problem smoking it. I wouldn't treat it any more special than my others (it's not like I bang them around either)

It might be fun to whack it against a curb or door jam to knock out the ashes... I'd love to watch other collectors squirm :lol:

I know a few guys who drop good money on their Chonowitschs, Knudsens, and the like and they smoke the hell out of them.

Having said that, that Castello is obviously a sultry piece of briar!

 

[Boulder]

If I could afford a pipe like that, and wanted to buy it, I would have no problem smoking it. I wouldn't treat it any more special than my others (it's not like I bang them around either)

It might be fun to whack it against a curb or door jam to knock out the ashes... I'd love to watch other collectors squirm :lol:

I'll be there with the camera. :lol!:

 

[Harlock999]

IMHO, I believe that works of Art are meant to be appreciated and displayed for self pleasure and the enjoyment by others.

It is no different then Stamp collecting, Coins, Comics, Baseball cards and for those who can afford them Rare objects

You bring up a good point.
Would a coin collector only be able to truly appreciate a rare, uncirculated coin by dropping it in a vending machine for a bag of Fritos? Because the original purpose of that coin was to be spent, not placed in a lucite coin protector to be admired.

 

[nograinsnotears]

Hi all,
I'm from Germany and am a new member of BoB. I hope you don't mind if I try to say something in this topic. (I just try to learn english another way. Help me please!)

I must say if I'd have enough money I'll buy this pipe immediately. IMHO it's worth that much. Its grains are more than spectacular, and it's a very nice pipe which is unique in the same way as most of L. Ivarsson's or J. Chonowitsch's pipes are.

And, you know - people love to pay (even more than 3k) for an everyday Liverpool shaped pipe of Jess Chonowitsch. (1)

Cheers,
No grains no pains.
---------

Notices:
(1) I'm tired of looking at those squat/bent tomato/egg or discus/blowfish shaped pipes of Lars or Jess in the same way as I'm tired of looking at those billiard or Liverpool shaped pipes, Let alone Nanna Ivarsson who I think makes only 3-5 shapes, where most of them are those "tomatos" or "eggs", and sells them with rocket speed and prices. Is she that good? What is special about those tomatos or eggs? Are they works of art and thus "unique"? No I don't think so. Nanna's pipes are special or "unique", thus so expensive, due to her surname: Ivarsson.

 

[Tim_Haggerty]

If I had that kind of discretionary income I'd think about it.

But I don't! Hell, most of us have moved up the food chain from cobs upwards, it's all a matter of perspective. I don't think $300 is too much for a good pipe anymore (thought I do have to rationalize it); it'd be cool to have the money for an amazing pipe like this, but I'd sure smoke it. My heirs could worry about its resale value.