T. Cristiano's signature Fatta a mano

[Boulder]

I was window shopping on ebay last night and found a pipe auction with 5 min left to go;

“rare estate Thomas Cristiano freehand briar” or something like it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300622337362?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT

I tried to look up a price range for pipe in a hurry and was unable to find much info.

So I did not bid and watched pipe sell for 90 bucks with only two bidders.

I guess this is my question, Did I save by not bidding on pipe?

or did I lose out on an opportunity?

Thanks, John.

 

[Frost]

I know nothing about the brand other than that they are somehow related to Calabresi, but searching of completed ebay listings would indicate to me that you didn't miss out much.

Looks like most of the ones that have sold went for between $15 and $66, with many not having sold at all. Most appear to have gone somewhere in the $30-$40 range... even cooper only got $66 on his, and that dude usually gets top dollar on his listings.

The highest went for $150 which appeared to be a very nice looking, unsmoked, "signature straight grain" with a supposed original price tag of $270 still attached.

The one you were lookin' at is pretty large with some nice grain & birdseye which would usually indicate a higher price tag, but I would seriously doubt the $1,200 figure from the listing. My rough estimation based on what little info I gathered in the last 15 minutes would be that you could have paid $90 and been fine or maybe even been a good deal, but it wasn't the steal of the century or anything. The value of said pipe would be more about how much you liked it than collectability, imo.

Course I could be completely wrong


Edit: Here are a couple of links to check out:

http://www.iapsc.net/store/cristiano.html
https://www.bocabenningtons.com/items.php?type_id=98&closeout=0&rangelow=&rangehigh=&prev_type_id=7

 

[Kyle Weiss]

It's a neat design... *shrug*

 

[PipePuffer]

I bought a T. Cristiano pipe last week. I had never heard of this pipe maker before, but the pipe specialist at my B&M thought pretty highly of the brand. Price-wise I only paid $120 for this pipe (new):

 

[dshpipes]

The pipe looks well made and has some really nice grain. I'd say $90 was a nice price for a pipe like that. If it were a Radice or Castello it probably would've sold for well over a hundred. Probably hundreds. That being said, Cristiano made it and I don't know a thing about the man or his pipes. I have to agree with Frost that the primary value would be in your enjoyment of it and not its collect-ability. At the same time, I would argue that the primary reason that we buy pipes is for our own enjoyment, which can be contributed to by a pipe's collect-ability. But that's another discussion.

I don't think you lost out here. You might have missed out on a nice pipe for a reasonable price, but there will be many many more. Like that sweet billiard that PipePuffer just posted! :cheers:

 

[Frost]

FWIW, they do look like pretty nice pipes. I found an old thread on BoB discussing Mastro De Paja and a couple other threads elsewhere on the interwebz indicating that apparently Mr Cristiano worked for MDP for a while and during that time the quality was purported to be excellent. After he left, MDP started to get some bad press due to fills & such showing up on high grades.

 

[Boulder]

Well can't cry over spilt milk I did like the pipe but feel if it's more than 50 bucks used, I should strive for knowing I could resell and recoup

my money if need be.

Thank you all for the help and if anyone finds out it was a collector and worth 5 or 6 hundred resale, keep it to yourself (not).

 

[Boulder]

I bought a T. Cristiano pipe last week. I had never heard of this pipe maker before, but the pipe specialist at my B&M thought pretty highly of the brand. Price-wise I only paid $120 for this pipe (new):

Good looking pipe by the way.

 

[Boulder]

I was window shopping on ebay last night and found a pipe auction with 5 min left to go;

“rare estate Thomas Cristiano freehand briar” or something like it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300622337362?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT

I tried to look up a price range for pipe in a hurry and was unable to find much info.

So I did not bid and watched pipe sell for 90 bucks with only two bidders.

I guess this is my question, Did I save by not bidding on pipe?

or did I lose out on an opportunity?

Thanks, John.

Looking around the internet tonight, I found a pipe from same Mfg.

Guess 90 bucks was not half bad

http://www.pipesandcigars.com/thcrcaespiu.html

 

[joshoowah]

$90 was a steal...modern day thievery even.

 

[docwatson]

I knew Tom Cristiano and bought dozens of pipes from him in the early 90's. He was the importer and distributor for Mastro de Paja out of Tampa Florida and also had his own line of pipes with his Signature line of pipes being of excellent quality and higher grades retailing in the $200-$300 range. Tom passed away unexpectedly at a young age and I can say that I miss his presence in the pipe community. He was dedicated to the business, had many ties to the makers in Italy, and was a well respected businessman of the highest caliber.

 

[Boulder]

Doc,

I read some about him and his biz in Florida and Italy, Seems he had a lot of pull in the pipe biz.

Guess it would be nice to have one of his better signature pipes, maybe next time one comes around

I'll know what I'm bidding on.

 

[Mr_Jeff]

Try Paul's Pipes in Flint, MI. They bought out 99% of all inventory from Christiano's widow in Florida. If Christiano made it, you'll find at least one of them at Paul's.

 

[idbowman]

I knew Tom Cristiano and bought dozens of pipes from him in the early 90's. He was the importer and distributor for Mastro de Paja out of Tampa Florida and also had his own line of pipes with his Signature line of pipes...

He is also tied to Calabresi pipes (which I think someone mentioned early in this thread). FWIW, I have a Calabresi which bought when I first started smoking and it remains my favorite (and best smoker). I read a few things about Cristiano on another forum a few years ago, and it seems that he only dealt in quality products even if his name isn't incredibly well known. I'm incredibly jealous that you got to meet him once upon a time.

Boulder-
I've seen Cristiano (and other Calabresi) pipes in a few places, and they seem to range pretty widely in price, including quite a few in the sub-$100 range. You might have missed out on a good pipe, but I doubt you passed up an incredible bargain.

 

[docwatson]

@boulder-yes, Tom had family and many contacts with the big pipe people in Italy. His signature pipes are super, as are the Mastro de Paja and Calabresi pipes he distributed, and can be found in many price ranges and grades.

@Mr_Jeff, thanks for that info on Paul's pipe shop. I had always wondered where the remainder of Tom Cristiano's stock eventually ended up, as there was a very large stockroom that he had in Tampa.

 

[jacko]

IMO I don't believe there to be any rare finds on eBay that don't go unnoticed. If there are only a few bids on a pipe and the price is low then there is a reason for it. Its not that hundred of people just happened to miss it. eBay has become a hub for pipe collecting and frankly speaking amazing 'steals' are very rare these days and most likely occur due to mis-listings or very low feedback...

 

[OldSoul]

T. Christiano was a fabulous Pipe Maker. You did well.

If you would like to know more of Mr. Christiano, he was Like a Family member, to the Owners of the Edward's Pipe and Tobacco in Tampa Florida.

They oppened they're doors in 1960, and are still the Main B&M in Tampa.
In his Day, he would carve pipes in an open viewed area of the Store set aside for the customer to view the Men Carving and rolling Cigar's by hand, now a Giant Humidor.

On the other side of the work area, they would roll hand made cigar's in front of the customer, and even supply custom wrapped per order type of cigar's if one liked a different wrapper.

I own several of Mr. Christianos signature and regular grade pipes, and they are to this day well into the hundred's of dollar's here in Tampa, Fine Smoker's and he is somewhat of a Legend here in the Pipe world.

Average Pipe is in the $200, $250.00 range, and they go up from there.

I do believe they still have several for sale from him, New, Unsmoked, but they are in small numbers now, maybe 5 or 6 pipe's as of last week when I was there.

Edward's of Tampa's door's are still open, and he has a Place in the store to this day of his Pipe's, picture's, and historical Picture's of the Day.

He was and still is a fixture in the Tampa Area.

He is Well Loved, and Greatly Missed.

If you would like to know more of him, Ask for MANNY @ Edward's, he was a prottoge' of Mr. Christiano's, now himself a Seasoned Man, Carver, and a Fine Gentelman.

 

[Dutch]

This is the only Cristiano I currently have in my collection, but one of my favorites that stays in my regular rotation. Not only is this pipe an outstanding smoke, with excellent balance for clenching, the icing on the cake is that I only gave $57 for it in new, never smoked condition.

 

[Buckshot]

Try Paul's Pipes in Flint, MI. They bought out 99% of all inventory from Christiano's widow in Florida. If Christiano made it, you'll find at least one of them at Paul's.

Paul's is my go-to local B&M. Dan, Paul's son, also bought most of the pipe making equipment as well as the stock.

 

[Buckshot]

Here is the information on Cristiano that is shown on Paul's Pipe Shop web page. They have a lot of Cristiano pipe shown on there :

When the Cristiano family came to America from Calabria, Italy, in 1968, they brought with them a wonderful and unique talent: pipe making. As the maestros of this craft, the Cristiano family has for nearly two decades, shaped and honed the rare, beautiful -- but tough -- briar-root into some of the world's most valued and treasured pipes. They have practiced their art at Calabresi Smoking Pipes, Inc. creating handsome wooden pipes for the largest pipe companies, as well as custom designing pipes for individual special requests.

At age 17, Thomas Cristiano was working in the pipe industry. "I was a floor boy for S.M. Frank & Company," says Cristiano.
"I counted and graded blocks of wood, categorized them, counted and selected pipes and put them in stock." He has come a long way since then, but every step of that journey has been dedicated to pipes.

The Cristiano's briarwood pipes are magnificently crafted by both hand and machine from the root of the wild briar shrub, which grows only in the Mediterranean region. Shrub harvesters cut the root into chunks that are later selected by pipe makers based on the grain and quality of the wood.

Thomas Cristiano's pipes are separated in to two main marks: Calabresi and T. Cristiano. The lines expand the horizon from filter pipes to exquisite freehands and classic shapes with ornate details made from precious metals such as gold and sterling silver.

In the Calabresi line there is the Budget line, the Algerian Imports, Italian Imports, Spindrift, Danesi Series, Massicia Series, Metamorfosi Series, Raffaele Series, Free Forms, Cesare Series, and Fancy.

The T. Cristiano line begins with the T. Cristiano, then the VSQ Series, Metamorfosi Series, Bosso Series, Phidias Series, and finally the highly sought after T. Cristiano Signature Series.