The High Grade Pipe Market Today

[Dock]

Much like many of you folks I check e-bay and the vaious pipe seller's sites daily to look at pipes and see what stuff's selling for. Here's a few of my recent observations:


WHAT'S HOT
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All premium individual North American pipe carvers. Roush,Ruthenberg,Parks,Cooke,Florov,Downie,ect. These pipes seem to be the hottest there are. Prices are amazingly strong on these pipes due in large part to the fact that quantitites are VERY limited.

All premium Danish pipes Bang,Chonowitsch,Hedding,Balleby.

German made pipes: Germany is quickly becoming a hot spot for upcoming pipe carvers. Cornelius Maenz and Wolfgang Becker's pipes are leading the way. These pipes dissapear in minutes when listed on pipe seller's sites!

Charatans: Since the Chicago Pipe Show's focus group pipes on all Charatan's have shot way up!

Comoy: Lot's of action on the older Grand Slam models. There seems to be a renewed collecting intrest in these pipes.

WHAT'S NOT
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Ashton: Prices have crept steadily lower for the last year or two. Newer pipes are well out of favor due to drilling, fit and finish issues. The only strong seller's are magnum sized pipes which still bring premium money.

Dunhill: Prices are in the toilet on any newer pieces unless they're a limited edition,a magnum, a X-Mas pipe or an older patent or birth year pipe.

GBD: Unless it's a Unique the prices are shockingly low

Ben Wades: A matched grains 7 day set in a case went for $800.00 last week!

Big & Heavy Old Freehands: Almost all seem to have fallen out out of favor except for Mike Kabik made pieces.

 

[Natch]

Thanks, man, great info. I look at them from time to time, but not enough to see the trends. Appreciate the knowledge of one that keeps track and know the pipes well.

Natch

 

[Bub]

Very interesting information.
Where does Castello fit in?
Thanks,
Bub

 

[Dock]

The higher grade and Greatline series Castellos that I've seen are still bringing very good money. Intrest in basic Sea Rocks seems to be steady as well. Castellos seem to be a true blue chip stock in the pipe collecting world.

 

[JMuraco]

Excellent information! Thank you! Now, my question is about Radice pipes and the new business model they have adopted of selling direct to retailers. How will Radice pipes fare in the market with the influx of "affordable" Radices? I for one will sorely miss the oil-cured pipes they made.

 

[Dock]

Excellent information! Thank you! Now, my question is about Radice pipes and the new business model they have adopted of selling direct to retailers. How will Radice pipes fare in the market with the influx of "affordable" Radices? I for one will sorely miss the oil-cured pipes they made.

Radice did one positive thing and one negative thing. The positive was that they rolled their prices back to an unbelieveable degree and now many more folks can now afford them that couldn't a year ago. The negative thing was that in rolling back prices they helped to seriously devalue quite nearly all of the exisiting pipes that folks have in their collections!

I think in the long run Radice did itself NO favors with this move! I expect the pipe to fall out of total favor in the collecting world. Prices will plumit!

 

[Wet Dottle]

Thanks for the post, Dock.

I am a fan of Radice pipes, in the Clear and Clear G lines, in particular their more classic shapes. I have quite a few (over 20 the last time I counted), mostly straight billiards and canadians. I love the finish and the way they smoke. But I have to say that I never liked the twin bore and was never attracted to the oil curing. When these changes took place in the American market I started buying from European dealers. The price was also somewhat an issue, since the same pipe in Europe used to cost half than here in the US. I don't know what type of pipes are going to be imported now, but if it's single bore Clear in traditional English shapes, I'll be a happy man.

I'm not criticizing R.D. Field. I've met him, he is a very nice gentleman that I have the utmost respect for, and wish him only the best.

Radice's have always had a poor resale value. I don't know why, except that they may have been a little overpriced to start with (in my opinion). If the new prices are going to be in line with the prices practiced in Europe, they will be a bargain and one of the best values to be had in the pipe world. I wish them well.

About Ashtons: I agree with Dock. They used to be my absolute favorite brand until a few years ago their quality went down the toilet. I haven’t bought one since and I will not again until I see the quality come back in a consistent manner. The funny thing is that even the poorly drilled and fitted pipes smoke great.

 

[Dock]

In my opinion older production Ashtons are the very best buy in the estate pipe market right now! The bottom has totally fallen out on these pipes as they've really fallen out of favor with collectors. lightly smoked Ashtons sell on e-bay everyday for a hundred bucks or under. Of course this will change as the pipe market always does. Ashtons could become the hot pipe of the moment next year!

 

[the macdonald]

I don't know why Radice rolled back their prices but I bought a Clear EX estate before Christmas and I can't say enough good about it. I'd suspect it's a reaction to the falling US dollar and they probably want deeper market penatration in the US to fill the void left by poor products from Ashton and Dunhill. This would position Radice to be the fabled brand that Dunhill and Ashton once was.

Although I have been an Anglophile latley, I think my humble pipe rack will have a more Italian flavor in the next coming years.

 

[Winslow]

I've bought 6 new Radice pipes the last year,all of them direct from Italy.Ardor
was the focus of my collecting but during the last 1 1/2 years they have risen in price
so much that I don't feel I want to pay those prices.
Radice pipes,especially with the new pricing,fit all my criteria for collecting.

Winslow :sunny: