Saturday Afternoon at Iwan Ries

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Anonymous

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I've been working on focusing my collection on Former's and Tonni's now for a while, the quest takes on in many different directions- putting the proverbial "feelers" out there. Letting all of my pipe friends all over the US and in Europe know to keep an eye open for anything that might be my shape.

Imagine my chagrin today when at Iwan Ries a buddy of mine happened to have 3 absolutely amazing Tonni's and he wouldn't- nay- just couldn't part with them. Not for any sum of money, not for any trade. Nothing.

It was a disappointment to be sure, but I walked away from the deal with a new Former sandblasted horn, and I also learned a lesson. Not everybody worships the almighty dollar, and not every pipe is for sale. There are some people who are collectors that just cannot part with a pipe for whatever reason be it the person who carved it, or some other deep sentiment that is attached to the object it is a magical bond, an emotional bond, a spiritual connection that cannot be broken.

I felt good about that standing out in front of Iwan Ries in the cold winter afternoon after my bi-monthly meeting there among my pipe friends. It was good to see somebody I enjoy so much display a behavior I respect so much. Discipline.

You gentlemen enjoy your Saturday evening:)

Kind regards,

Ian
 
I think a lot of collectors can be that way Ian. I'm a small scale collector owning just a couple dozen 'Fine Pipes', but there are a few in my little collection that simply are not for sale. I love all of the pipes in my collection but I could be persuaded to part with a good number of them if a fellow simply had to have them and was willing to pay well for them, but a few will be passed on to someone after my demise, period. For various reasons they just mean too much to me, are just too perfect, or represent something too personal.

Sometimes the best you can do is to ask your friend to put you in his will :lol:
 
Puff Daddy":77u3tgi9 said:
Sometimes the best you can do is to ask your friend to put you in his will :lol:
Click to expand...

LOL!!!

Son of a gun! I didn't even think of that damnit!!! That would have been a good one:)

Well done PD!
 
Ian, I feel for you. Sometimes you just can't get the pipe you want - even when it belongs in your collection for a bunch of reasons.

There are pieces I thought I'd wind up with and I didn't - and for not much of a good reason. That's the way things go sometimes.

I really do think your focus is quite interesting. I know nobody who collects just Tonni's and Former's work. For my money both these artisans share something interesting.

They are both possessors of phenomenal technical and artistic skills and recognized by other artisans as having both, but not being all that fashionable by many pipe enthusiasts. I've often wondered why. Certainly a lot of us are in awe of both these gentlemen. Tonni's design and finish work is astounding. Former's shapes are exquisite.

I think your collection is going to have a great deal of integrity.

Just my humble opinion.
 
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