pipe elitism

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When carried to the extremes in either direction it is.....

I enjoy hearing about a guys new Pete just as much as I do a guys new Ivarsson, I really don't care to be around folk that Can't be happy for whatever their Bro's smoking..
There are places online where admitting you smoke anything besides a Kaywoodie will get you mocked, but there are also place online that anything lower than a Bang will get you mocked, I'm uncomfortable at both places.
 
Good point, PB. I certainly enjoy seeing discussions of the fine works of pipe art here that cost out in ranges far beyond what I'll ever afford but at the same time being able to share the enthusiasm of my fellow "average budget" pipesmokers is essential to making a pipe forum a true meeting ground for all who enjoy the pipe-maybe I should have not used the term "average budget," given that with each passing year what I hear the media quote as the national medium household income seems to be leaping beyond what we live on in our household. :affraid: :) Earl
 
Earlier today I followed one of the links posted to a pipe maker's site & spotted a pipe that was just WoW. Should be in the Louvre. I called my wife over to show her, & she wow'd over it. I think the price was around $700 & it was absolutely worth it. SWAMBO suggested I get it for Xmas (wonderful girl). I declined. Like Stump, I'm happier in the below $300 range. I'm not a collector, but I sure as hell can appreciate them. And I probably could afford them. Maybe. A few. But I'd sooner spend the bucks on other hobbies.

So, the point of this is that: 1. Quality is plainly evident - even to non pipe smokers 2. You have to pay for true art 3. You may choose not to 4. The opinions of elitists or counter-elitists matter to one only if one thinks they may have a point (or do you think I'm being a bit harsh in this judgement?) 5. My opinion - stuff both camps & smoke what you please, smugly.
 
Muddler, You are absolutely 100% correct, I smoke mostly low buck Stanwells, a few on here don't even OWN pipes cheaper than a grand or a grand and a half.. Who's right? Its one of the few places where 'universalism' actually works.. WE both are.

The old tag 'Smoke what ya like,like what ya smoke' is one of the attitudes that make this lifestyle fun.
 
I find "attitude" - whether it's elitist or anti-elitist - completely off-putting. I don't begrudge anyone else what brings them joy, whether it's cobs or Bo Nordhs. I've never smoked nor owned a Bo Nordh and probably won't, by the way.

I expect that most people will imply (probably in innocence) that their particular flavor of collecting or smoking is the best, else why would they choose it or be excited about it. That's fine. What isn't fine is belittling somebody else's choice.

I own and smoke all kinds of pipes - high grades, factory pipes, cobs, and estates. Though I collect medium and high grades, I enjoy variety. Sometimes I'm in a cob mood; sometimes I'm in a Purdy mood, sometimes I'm in a Peterson mood. So I reach for whatever floats my boat in the moment.

There's smoking and there's collecting and they're not the same thing. The overlap between the activities can be very pleasurable, but it can also introduce strange emotions. I wrote a blog post about this yesterday, for those who are interested. The gist of it is that sometimes it's hard to smoke a beautifully crafted art piece, so I don't. Sometimes beauty holds me at arms length (certainly it has in romance and strangely also with pipes).

I have never felt a moment's hesitation at smoking a cob, however. I can sit outside in a breeze, enjoy it, abandon any and all anxieties about burning out or over-heating a pipe. If cobs had decent mouthpieces, they would be perfect in this situation. A high grade is no more necessary to a sublime smoking experience than a lead crystal goblet is to enjoying a jammy, robust red wine.

For me, tho', there are those times when smoking one of my better pipes really brings me joy. Nothing takes away from the other, however, and for that we should all be grateful.

It gives me a lot of joy to celebrate a friend's choices and pleasures. To do or say anything that might diminish the sweetness of those things strikes me as meanness of spirit of the very worst kind. The world would be a far better place if people spent more of their time feeling blessed and grateful. We would consume less, relax more, be more generous, have more fun, and be willing to stretch the minutes out. Where there's joy, there's less addiction, resentment, and anger.

One of the things this board can really accomplish is to help us remember what we're for as opposed to what we're against. First and foremost, I'm FOR all of you and for what floats your boat.
 
I truely enjoy looking at all the high end pipes people buy they do look good
I like the fact some can afford them and like them

I have Grabows and Dunhills that smoke great my thing in this hobby is how well a pipe smokes
Some looke down on grabows but I have some that smoke as well as a Dunhill I love em

I smoke PA and CH some say these are drug store blends and are not as good as $40 a pound tobacco's

I like their taste and for me that is whats important

So for me I just hope everyone enjoys the hobby no matter what pipe or tobacco they smoke

Just keep on smoking
 
ZuluCollector":nc13s7w4 said:
One of the things this board can really accomplish is to help us remember what we're for as opposed to what we're against. First and foremost, I'm FOR all of you and for what floats your boat.
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Beautifully put Neil, and thank you for that. You're absolutely correct, and the intent with which this board was created was for just that reason, a place for pipe enthusiasts to commune and share a common interest. We all have our own idiosyncracies but we are all in the same boat, gentlemen wishing to partake in the peaceful past-time of enjoying our pipes. They are artistic, organic accoutrements to our personas that provide many layers of enjoyment and satisfaction. We need not seek to divide ourselves over the details but unite in the bigger obligation to perpetuate the culture.
 
Puff Daddy":t8j2tobd said:
ZuluCollector":t8j2tobd said:
One of the things this board can really accomplish is to help us remember what we're for as opposed to what we're against. First and foremost, I'm FOR all of you and for what floats your boat.
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Beautifully put Neil, and thank you for that. You're absolutely correct, and the intent with which this board was created was for just that reason, a place for pipe enthusiasts to commune and share a common interest. We all have our own idiosyncracies but we are all in the same boat, gentlemen wishing to partake in the peaceful past-time of enjoying our pipes. They are artistic, organic accoutrements to our personas that provide many layers of enjoyment and satisfaction. We need not seek to divide ourselves over the details but unite in the bigger obligation to perpetuate the culture.
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Guys- That is why I love this place. Everything from Garbow to Dunhill and Price Albert to Maltese Falcon. I am very simple minded and take the easy aproch to this craft. That is what we all must apreciate about it, you can make it what you want and take it as far as you want.

-Jeff
 
It is possible to suspect that much of the jealousy-motivated rejection of guys with rooms full of expensive briars is due in no small part to the habit some of them have of showboating at every opportunity.

This "Hey -- Look what I have" impulse (understandable enough, and common to all of us), when it's kept up and kept up, eventually provokes a(n unanticipated) reaction. It isn't so much the pipes, or even that somebody has them that's annoying so much as what's perceived as showing off with them that (eventually) irritates people.

Board guys you kind of "know" as people in the round can have all the blowsnails they want, and you're just happy for them. It's the folks who buy $17,000 worth of pipes a week and make sure everybody knows it who encounter static after a while.

That's what I suspect is the case, at any rate.

:face:
 
Yak":i12aa6wu said:
It is possible to suspect that much of the jealousy-motivated rejection of guys with rooms full of expensive briars is due in no small part to the habit some of them have of showboating at every opportunity.

What you perceive as "showboating" Yak may be viwed by them as merely sharing their recent purchases with a group of like minded friends.It's very hard for non pipe folks to understand the excitement that WE feel when buying new highgrade pipes.Sharing your pics of that new Kurt Balleby to them would be about as impressive as someone showing you a comemorative and highly collectible thimble! We're the ultimate niche market!...

This "Hey -- Look what I have" impulse (understandable enough, and common to all of us), when it's kept up and kept up, eventually provokes a(n unanticipated) reaction. It isn't so much the pipes, or even that somebody has them that's annoying so much as what's perceived as showing off with them that (eventually) irritates people.

Board guys you kind of "know" as people in the round can have all the blowsnails they want, and you're just happy for them. It's the folks who buy $17,000 worth of pipes a week and make sure everybody knows it who encounter static after a while.

If someone does plunk down that amount of cash on pipes I'd personally love to see and hear all about them.I'm currently drolling over Neill's new Adam Davidsons and Greg's excellent pics of the one's he's been photographing!.I don't own one but am genuinely happy for Neill and share his entusiasim for this great new carver! Like most here I want to see my fellow board members pipes when ever they feel fit to post about them...

That's what I suspect is the case, at any rate.

:face:
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Speaking personally, I find it really difficult to calibrate the appropriate balance between putting pictures up to share them with fellow hobbyists and appearing to showboat.

I know that Yak was exaggerating for effect with the $17,000 a week in pipes comment, but I wonder if very many pipe pics doesn't feel like showboating to someone who has a $500 per year pipe budget.

For this reason, I stopped posting pics on one other notable forum. I just felt like the difference between my collecting activity and the membership's was just too big.

I suppose I could go find a board populated only by very active high-grade collectors, but wouldn't that be the ultimate pipe elitism?

I guess I prefer to think that most people are generous enough of spirit to celebrate their briar brother's acquisitions, regardless of cost or frequency. Probably pretty naive of me.

I like my collection and I'm proud of it, but frankly very few people know what I've collected or what it represents in sacrifices in other areas of my life. I don't have a boat. I don't have a vacation home. I don't buy expensive toys like motorcycles or sports cars. I don't buy jet skis. I don't buy guns and knives nor frequent expensive country clubs nor play serious golf at $150 a whack. I collect pipes. I also support my wife's grandparents (they would lose their house if I didn't) when her wealthy siblings won't give a ƒu¢%¡n& dime to them. I send money to my nieces and nephews when they need it. I help my young relatives buy houses. For anyone else to judge me would require them to know my heart and my head - and they don't and they can't. I suspect I'm not the only person like this.

In short, I think peoples' priorities are their own business. This would seem to be a minority opinion in the world out there.....
 
I wouldn't want to see you active, higher end collectors stop posting your photos and enthusiastic comments here. I enjoy seeing it-probably in the same way as when I scan through a copy of Architectural Digest magazine :drool: but enjoy doing both though they are entirely vicarious experiences for me. :) Earl
 
I personally would like to see the guy who spends $17000 a week post pictures of his pipes that he has acquired. Give me something to drool over. I think I know two or three high grade collectors and I have always enjoyed looking at their buys and their thoughts on what that saw in the pipe when purchased (i.e. shape, carvers reputation, smoke-ability, etc.). I would hope that Dock, Zulu Collector and others who are fortunate enough to acquire such gems would continue to post pictures and their thoughts on high grades. I consider it a great learning experience.

I have run into people who think I am crazy because I think nothing of putting down $2000 (when I can afford it :lol!: ) for some rifle that I like. Collecting old WWI and WWII is another one of my hobbies that I enjoy. I agree with Zulu Collector when he says that really no one has the right to judge what I spend my extra money on.
 
High-Grade really is a matter of perspective.

I bumped into a feller smoking a cob earlier today, I asked him what he was smoking. He stated 'Capt Black'. I rushed back to my truck,grabbed a Stanwell and a tin of Cairo,intending to share a bowl. Real long story short I got lessoned in how insane spending 80 bucks on a pipe is and 'Holy Crap 9 Bucks for a tin of tobacco?' Lol.

The point was made, Why do I spend my dough on briars when cobs work just as well? Cause I can, and I want to.

I won't poke fun of ya if ya smoke Capt Black, but I won't try to logic myself into it either :D
 
Myself, like MikeM and others, enjoy viewing and admiring those high-grades that some of our fellow enthusiasts own. I also am perfectly content smoking my Stanwell or Tinskey. One of my other ways I enjoy myself is harleys. Again, If I run into somebody riding one of those $60,000 and up bikes, I enjoy looking at it while smoking a pipe, shoot the bull for a while, get on my old shovel I built for a lot less than that, and we both part content with where we are. On the other hand, I'm not so content if somebody gives me a bunch of crap about either one.

Bd

Never Forget!
 
When i began this thread i never knew the life it would take on! :D i for one, love to look at pictures of high grades, mid grades and yes low grades. if i cant see the possibilities of what some makers can carve, how do i know their level of creativity? I occasionally spend thousands on a pipe, but this rare, and when i do i like to do some homework on what i would like to purchase. this forum has opened my eyes as to what the " americans" can carve. i am completely shocked and amazed as to what i have seen. I really think my collecting focus is going to change DRAMATICALLY. To acquire these beauties and to try to keep them a secret is the worst kind of elitism imho. I applaud those who post pics of their collections, and to them i say, MORE...please. If you take a gander at the first post of this thread you will read an example of the most infuriating situation of elitism i have ever experienced. I am still a young man with ( hopefully ) many years of collecting ahead of me and i will never deal with that person ever again. and no, it was not perettis, but an equally if not more so, famous Tobacconist. names need not be given. I truly feel sorry for the owners of this establishment for i will no longer be dropping my HARD-EARNED dollars with them, I am also tempted not to spend on anymore money for my soon to be previous collecting interest. but for all intents and purposes that wouldnt be fair and anyway first loves and all that. the problem with all of this is i am looking at my small but interesting collection thinking, i could sell that or that one but i would miss them so........ :cry: but onward and upwards brothers, right?
 
Mikem":ux03bzfp said:
I have run into people who think I am crazy because I think nothing of putting down $2000 (when I can afford it :lol!: ) for some rifle that I like. Collecting old WWI and WWII is another one of my hobbies that I enjoy. I agree with Zulu Collector when he says that really no one has the right to judge what I spend my extra money on.
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Thats the whole thing in a nutshell. The trick to the whole thing is learning to be content with what you have. You will probably find that folks who get a bit pissy with you for spending money "foolishly" haven't quite mastered it yet. I have friends (and a couple of my kids, God love em') who think my pipes and tobacco are a waste of money. OK, more power to them. The house payment gets made as does the car payment. The roof is tight and there is food in the larder. Well, you get the idea.
:pipe:
 
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