| Archive for Dr. Grabow Pipes "America's One and Only" |
| steverino |
Take a look at this on ebayEveryone interested in pipe history might want to take a look at this ebay auction:http://cgi.ebay.com/LARGE-GROUP-O...2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 You might also want to click on his other items link and see the other pipe stuff he's got. I only saw one DG item but there may be DG info in some of the other stuff. |
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| Irishlefty |
I do quite a bit of business with Paul at Funks junk. He is also associated with Hermitage Pipes. A decent and honest guy. I've bought some of his larger lots and I pay more per pipe with Paul then with sellers I don't know simply because he doesn't include broken shanks or cracked bowls in his lots and what he describes is what you actually get. | ||||
| steverino |
Good info Irish, thanks. | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Re: Take a look at this on ebay
Looks like it could be some more of Tom Dunn's collection. I have also done some business with this concern and got some good items at a fair price. --RJ-- |
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| steverino |
In keeping with the topic of this thread, I would like to call your attention to this pipe. It is a nice "zulu"/"yacht"/"cutty" or whatever you prefer to call it. I think this is the first Grabow Deluxe I've seen in this shape. I can't bid, so I hope someone here might get it. Looks like it might be a nice one. | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
That is a NICE pipe!! I put it on my watch list but it will probably go higher than can spend!! I have two of these an Eldorado and a Grand Duke. | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Yes, that is a fine looking pipe! If my hunch is right, based on the seller's description, it's a later model Chicago product with a push stem rather than threads. I have five or six or so of this shape and it seemed to be fairly popular for some years. I have three old Linkman's Dr. Grabows in the WWII era carvings, a SELECT GRAIN and then at least one from the later North Carolina era, a SILVER DUKE. Some time back, and certainly before even more information came to light, I was so curious about this shape and the similarity between the SILVER DUKE (which looked convincingly OLDER than what it was) and the SELECT GRAIN, that I took some photos of them together. --RJ-- 
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| ozark southpaw |
The older pipe looks quite a bit larger and looks to have less bend in the stem. Need a Lark? | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Astute observations. The "1/8th" bend or whatever you might call it varies a bit from pipe to pipe, but the newer Grabows do seem to have a bit more of a bend. The pipe might be slightly larger, however, it may appear larger yet because it is in the foreground. No, I think I have one LARK that I got on a lark -- it was nearly burned out when I got it. Smoked it a few times and then retired it to a Grabow display card. And, no, Ed, don't need any Mixture No. 79 either, but thanks for thinking of me. --RJ-- |
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| ozark southpaw |
ZulusI ALWAYS try to think of others Mac! 
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| steverino |
The top rim of this thing looks almost like it's never been smoked. I might have to break bad. | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Re: Zulus
You're a good man in spite of your intentions! --RJ-- |
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| steverino |
I am posting this late so it may not get seen, sorry. Starfire 84, 2 hr left.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....sPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=003 Edit: This item has been relisted. New link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....sPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=003 |
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| ozark southpaw |
I was watching that pipe but had bid on a couple of others. If some of my stuff would sell I could buy more !! | ||||
| steverino |
OS - note that that Starfire 84 has been relisted.
Question: Do you have your stuff for sale on ebay? Or some other place I can view it? I'd like to see what you have. I think it is interesting to note that a Starfire author (81) just sold for over $30. I don't know if anyone on DGCF bought it or not, but the prices definitely seem to be on a gradual upward trend, I suppose depending upon shape, series, etc. |
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| ozark southpaw |
Steve,at present I have 3 Medico's pipes and 1 tamper on ebay. Getting a bunch of pipes and some lighters ready to put up tomorrow and Sunday. On ebag I am Fastredx. Some of those Starfires and some others are getting up there!! I was bidding on that Author,but it got to rich for me!! It looked like a nice pipe and I love that shape ,and really would like to have a Starfire Author! | ||||
| drbridges |
I bid on 2 DG #81s this week. Lost on both to someone with only 1 feedback behind him. Wonder if Sparta makes any more #81s? They weren't included in the IP&A special offer, and I don't see them on other internet tobacconist sites. | ||||
| steverino |
Interesting about the 1 feed back thing. I have occasionally thought that much of the "bidding up" is done by inexperienced bidders. | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
I have put some pic of some of the pipes I will be listing Sunday on ebag.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fastredx/ If you want more pics or info give me a shout. |
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| drbridges |
Oh, that Crown Duke looks pretty to me.
It should draw some bids. I've got that long-shanked Dublin of yours on my watch list. Very interesting pipe. |
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| ozark southpaw |
It is an interesting pipe! I did not know what to call it other than a long shank Dublin! 
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| steverino |
Good looking stuff! | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
I put some pics on Flickr today. Any of these items are avail. before I put them on eBag. Saves me the hassle of making up a listing.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fastredx/ |
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| drbridges |
Oz, Satan has a special place for people who show photos like that to suffering pipe acquisition addicts. Temptation is what it is. TEMPTATION! | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
You KNOW you want some! That why I do it!!
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| LokoMac8 |
Still interested in the "naked lady" Grabow! --RJ-- |
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| ozark southpaw |
Nekked LadyMac,I know you are lusting after the "Nekked Lady"but--she ain't for sale!! I have told my wife and kids to bury me with her!!
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| ozark southpaw |
They's all on ebag now,except for that little Regal. It has a tiny crack in the button so I decided to put it back on the shelf. | ||||
| steverino |
OS, what shape is that Regal? Did you post it on here somewhere? | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
RegalHere you go Steverino!
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| steverino |
Very nice OS, I have two that shape but they are both smooth. Will you be able to fix the crack? | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
Haven't tried to fix it. Steve. The crack runs from the slot toward the bowl and is only as long as the button is wide.About 1/8". That make sense? Anyway it would be hard to get any glue into the crack. Can't pry on it to open it up,afraid it would break out. I may play with it after I get the rest of my stuff on eBag,been digging out more stuff. | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
RegalSteve,have you seen this one?http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....ASS%3AMOTORS%3A1123&viewitem= |
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| steverino |
Yes, got that one on the watch list. I've bought from Gary before, he's nice to deal with. | ||||
| steverino |
Whoa-ho, boys, check this one out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SMOKING-PIPE-...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 |
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| drbridges |
Mac & I have been discussing that pipe. Unfortunately I can't get enough details from the posted photos.
The box is clearly stamped as Linkman's. However the pipe may be stamped only as Dr. Grabow instead of Linkman's Dr. Grabow. The pattern I have observed in most of these older Dr. Grabow Supreme pipes is that if they are stamped as Linkman's Dr. Grabow they should have the old propeller stem emblem. If they are stamped only as Dr. Grabow they should have the newer spade emblem. I believe these unique Supreme Dr. Grabow pipes date to the late 1940s. One in this condition (there is still a dark spot where the price tag was) is a rare find. |
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| ozark southpaw |
I contacted the seller. Says there are no other markings on the pipe. | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Aw man! I guess I was the one that ended up with this pipe and box. I was more interested in the box as I already had the pipe shape. The box seems similar to the boxes produced during WWII except that it doesn't have the War Bonds stamping. The pipe is a SUPREME alright, simply stamped DR. GRABOW over SUPREME over IMPORTED BRIAR. It has several of those small leaf carvings on the sides of the bowl. It seems to be one of those post-1949 "new shapes" and oddly, by mistake or design, DID NOT GET A SHAPE NUMBER STAMPING! It's a #64 Shape though. The pipe appears to have never been smoked aside from the machine pre-smoking which often left a few flakes of tobacco in the bowl. I wish the price tag was still on the stem -- obviously it had been there for same time to leave that spot! --RJ-- |
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| steverino |
What do y'all make of this one? Never seen the dots before.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Estat...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 |
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| LokoMac8 |
Only the DeLuxe line had them as far as I know. I am still not sure in what order these different markings came in the DeLuxe line, but I think it was the embedded metal circle, the two metal dots and then the stamped shield emblem, which then was phased out. In my opinion, the quality, finish and workmanship sort of follows that scheme as well, with the embedded circle pipes being some of the finest work Linkman's factory ever did. The "two dot" pipes are fairly nice as well. Of course, the later DeLuxes were fine, but just not up to the standard of the earlier ones. --RJ-- 
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| LokoMac8 |
I took the seller's advice and tried to look it up ("I have resesearched on pipedia.com and according to all these markings this is one of the oldest Dr.Grabows produced in the Chicago factory from the late 1930's to the early 1940's. LOOK IT UP.") and all I got was a web site for personal injury lawyers . . . --RJ-- |
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| drbridges |
Is it possible the different shank stampings Linkman used were meant to indicate the supplier or country of origin of the briar?
Looking over the Linkman catalog from 1937 shows a variety of stem emblems were being used. For instance the $10 COURTLEIGH is shown with 3 dots on the left side of the stem; the $5 COURTLEIGH is shown with a single bullseye (similar to what I've seen on some HOLLYCOURTs); the $3 COURTLEIGH is shown with a single dot on the left side of the stem. The $1.50 presmoked DG DELUXE is shown with a top stem emblem (probably the propeller, but it isn't clear) and no shank emblem. The DG 1947 pocket catalog shows only top spade stem emblems and no shank emblems. Ads from 1943 and 1944 show the DG DELUXE with the shield shank emblem. Unfortunately we may never decipher Linkman's use of shank emblems until we locate promotional literature from the 1930s. So far, I haven't found much from DG in the 1930s. |
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| LokoMac8 |
As always, great information and some interesting points made. This is all a very interesting period filled as yet, with a lot of mystery! I sort of still think along the lines that these stampings and inserts mean little more than trying to sell more pipes. Each of these processes, from additonal stampings to the metal inserts mean additional work, additional time, and additonal risk -- the latter of which could damage or destroy an almost finished pipe that quite a bit of labor has already gone into. I think, for the most part, this extra work was done to attempt to make the pipe look more majestic and refined than what it really was, and was done to either emulate what their competitor(s) was/were doing or make their pipe look slightly more attractive to the eye. I don't think that Linkman, and even later Sparta, missed many opportunities to make their pipes look amazingly similar to the popular and more expensive Kaywoodies. No disrespect meant to Linkman or Dr. Grabow pipes to say that they didn't miss many tricks in marketing their product. In the reverse, it even worked on me as I ended up with a few Kaywoodies thinking the CLUB emblem on the stem I could see meant that is was another Dr. Grabow line! Once I received the pipes and began to learn about Kaywoodies, I thought even then, "how clever of Kaywoodie to copy Dr. Grabow!" I thought these different shank treatments had more to do with the time period they were produced than any meaning or difference in the pipe. After all, they are ALL DeLuxes selling for the same $1.50. In addition to the shank treatment, there are other things like the finish and workmanship that also seem to correspond to a different time period -- in short, it sort of seems to have moved to a peak of expense of production and workmanship, to a gradual economizing in production, and perhaps, a little less time taken in craftmanship. Of course, I readily admit that I could be wrong in all this guessing, for that is ALL I am doing. This is definitely a period I would like to learn more about, but alas, it has been so long ago now that first hand accounts, like we have with TED in Sparta, we will probably never find. So we have to rely on printed matter, such as your 1937 catalog and early advertising for the bulk of our sources of information, and that, too, is pretty rarely found. Even so, TED has given us so much insight into this business, that in at least some cases, we can apply some of his knowledge to this much earlier period to make some educated guesses, the hazard in that being, they are still just guesses, and it seems no two of us are likely to "guess" the same. --RJ-- |
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| drbridges |
A good point, Mac, but if that were true then why didn't DG use these popular selling inserts in their advertisements and publications? DG Sparta, for example, certainly published the spade emblem. So far I haven't seen any DG Chicago ad or catalog that said, "Look for our propeller emblem." Or circle, or shield, or 2 dots, or 3 dots, or bullseye. Maybe they did advertise them, but I haven't seen them yet. If you are relying on trademarks and emblems to sell your product, wouldn't you publicize them? I haven't seen them even on the DG display boards from that period. |
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| LokoMac8 |
Well, in essence, that is exactly the point. In a way, they weren't calling attention to their own trademark, in those times, to sell their own product -- except for say, pleasing appearances, but attempting to more or less pass themselves off as something else. That you would first be attracted to their product by mistaken identity through sight -- such as seeing someone else smoking an attractive pipe (could have been a Kaywoodie or soemthing else) and then going and buying one that LOOKED like it from a display, further being impressed by the price. Sure, you still hawked your pipes, but rather than highlight your own trademark -- other than the name and the pre-smoked angle -- you allowed the extra eye candy to sell pipes as well, thereby selling from several difefrent angles and perhaps selling, or at least getting a pipe smoker to consider, a pipe that they would not give a second glance to based on price or name. However, if the looks were convincing enough, then one MIGHT stoop so low as to buy one and be seen smoking it. And naturally, once that was done, one would realize their pipe would smoke as good as those more expensive ones. As far as the embedded circle emblem and the two dots, they might have predated most of the advertising we have found so far. And, also consider, that the advertisements, charts, etc., all use artists' renderings rather than actual photos, so the accuracy and amount of detail is always suspect there. Of course, the SHIELD does show up and apparently was used in the era of those later magazine ads. All this to say -- other than offer fodder for thought -- I simply do not know! The earliest advertisement -- which they apparently used newspapers for some time BEFORE any known magazine ad -- I know of was supplied by a benevolent member of this group and I will attach. Note the very poor quality of the ad in that we really can make out no stampings or trademarks. In this October 1938 Chicago newspaper ad I believe I can make out they used what appeared to be the "C" cut, two-hole cleaner (earlier than I originally thought!), but that could be argued as well. --RJ-- 
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| drbridges |
Dr. Grabow?
eBay Item number: 280329358108 http://cgi.ebay.com/DR-GRABOW-TOB...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 Seller claims this tobacconist "basket pipe" was manufactured by the DG factory in Sparta. I've learned to never say "never" when it comes to DG pipes, but this is not a pipe shape from the DG catalogs I have. DG didn't make bent pots, and made very few bent saddle bits. Perhaps the seller was told this pipe came from the Sparta factory, but I am dubious. Do you recognize the shape, ted? |
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| LokoMac8 |
Re: Dr. Grabow?
Hmm. The only thing that I can sort of make fit is the BIG PIPE line, which I know little about and I don't have a shape chart for. Yet, the fish tail bit doesn't sound right for late model Grabows. --RJ-- |
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| ted |
Yes David, I recognize it. When Grabow started making the Seville pipes for Mastercraft they had to copy many of the shapes of Seville we were getting from Gigi Pipe. Best I recall it was 18 new shapes that were totally unlike anything Grabow (Sparta) had ever made. This shape duplicating was quite easy to do and so they experimented with a few more shapes.
Other than Seville, Grabow (Sparta) also made many, many "basket (or board) pipes using existing Grabow shapes and the new shapes they had copied. They made so many, in so many finishes that I can't possibly remember them all. I will generally remember the shapes. Mastercraft bought board pipes from Grabow (Sparta), paid for them, and sold them to pipe shops all over the country. This pipe appears to be a Seville shape with a different finish. It IS a Grabow bit. Toward the end of my time, and after, Grabow was mixing a few of these shapes into their regular Grabow lines. Also, Hillcrest was created specifically to use some of these shapes that were not quite good enough quality for M/C. How's that?......ted.... |
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| drbridges |
awesome info, ted. And another example why I never say "never" about DG pipes. | ||||
| TheDuke |
That's a fine looking pipe.....but $38.02 nice?.....I'll pass! | ||||
| drbridges |
PIPE MASTERCERAUFThttp://cgi.ebay.com/PIPE-MASTERCE...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318Item number: 140311698127 PIPE MASTERCERAUFT Some words are simply too hard to spell correctly. |
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| drbridges |
Unsigned Pipehttp://cgi.ebay.com/PIPE-UNSIGNED...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
Item number: 140311695747 Shipped from Poland, this may exceed some of our budgets, but this unsigned pipe may be a DG Ajustomatic #83. |
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| drbridges |
eBay Item number: 260386929851
A nice looking DG BERWYCK your eBay searches might miss. 
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| ted |
Dr. B, The billiard is a Mastercraft Delue made by Fratelli Rossi. These are the pipes that had the "sticky" lacquer.
The #83 appears to be a Grabow. One that Sparta made for Mastercraft and was sold unstamped by M/C. This finish was a copy of the Grabow Eldorado Red in the mid to late 80's. I think, even with the wide aluminum, it is a push bit. May take a filter. To explane this a bit more, Sparta never (that I remember) made any pipes for Mastercraft that used the adjustomatic feature. I may not remember correctly, but am about 80% certain.....ted |
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| drbridges |
ted, the Mastercerauft Billiard does look sticky now that you've pointed it out to me.
The #83 auction photos show a threaded Ajustomatic joint, without a cleaner. Not a push bit. It does appear to be the ruby red ELDORADO stain. We are extremely lucky you're here, ted. |
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| ozark southpaw |
Dr.b, saw that Berwyck this morning. I was smoking an identical Berwyck at the time!! | ||||
| ted |
Didn't see that. That being the case it is an unstamped Grabow. Grabow did quite a bit of export business, and made a few lines that only went out of the country. I believe Red was one of them. Could be a salesmans sample. Anyway another mystery.....ted |
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| drbridges |
http://cgi.ebay.com/Humidor-packe...2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
eBay Item number: 300306194961 This eBay seller makes some interesting claims about DG spade emblems.
Okay, early on, the white spade was used to indicate the pipe was an Ajustomatic. And Lavietes filed this patent in 1946, and received it in 1949, so the first claim seems reasonable. The yellow spade indicated a push stem pipe with a metal cleaner insert. I'm not sure what 1950 patent the seller refers to for the SAVOY. The blue spade indicated the pipe was push stem and used a DUKE tampon filter. I've never heard of the whiskey collection. ted, you were there. Do you have any knowledge of a DG whiskey collection? |
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| ted |
Whisky collection????? This guy must have seen my liquor cabinet.
Never heard of a whisky collection. As my buddy Judy Weinberger said....Don't try to sell the bacon, sell the sizzle. I believe this is sizzle....ted |
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| drbridges |
These are the sort of confusing claims that abound regarding DG pipes.
Mac & I encountered many claims such as these, and we began collaborating and searching for facts about DG pipes. Thanks to this DGCF and its members, more and more of those facts are coming. How odd that something as popularly common as DG pipes is so mysterious. |
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| steverino |
Check this one out too, guys, the description sounds a bit funky to me but maybe he's right about the time frame.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dr-Grabow-Imp...PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem |
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| drbridges |
Well, Steverino, I wasn't there, so I can't see the subtle shape variations that some pipe shapes (especially the DG #81) went through over the years. 
BUT, it is a push stem metal sleeve tampon pipe. And in the 60s & 70s the majority of those were blue spade emblems instead of white. Never say "NEVER" about DG pipes, but I don't believe this pipe is not as old as the seller describes. ted may recognize the shape and be able to convince me it is ... I'm inclined to believe it is a Lane Ltd. era pipe, post 1997. |
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| ted |
Dr. B.....Your "eye" is getting there. Much later than the seller describes. Maybe even after Lane. The color, construction, and shape just aren't right for the description...ted | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
Can't really tell from the pics but the way the button is cut on that stem looks like it may be ABS-not vulcanite. If that is the case wouldn't that be an indication of when it was made? | ||||
| steverino |
Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking - that it was really newer than he said it was. I never knew they made a "scoop" shape!
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| ozark southpaw |
Works great for ice cream Steve!! | ||||
| ted |
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-UNC-Tarh...18%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
This one is pretty rare. When we got into the decal pipes for the Olympics and had success we tried a few colleges. This was the first. Don't think we made much more than a gross..ted |
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| LokoMac8 |
INTERESTING! I THINK I seen one of these some time ago, but either missed the auction ending or suspected it was just something someone cobbled up. This brings a whole new enlightment to the subject! --RJ-- |
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| TheDuke |
Saw the scoop shaped pipe-LMAO! Almost bid on a "Tinkman"yesterday! | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Had you bid on that "Tinkman's", you would have easily outbid me. I threw a starter bid out on it for just the minimum (those old pipes are a favorite of mine) and then forgot to check on it again before the auction ended! I do that pretty often and that's why I at least throw a token bid out most of the time, because many of the things I wanted either went no bid and were never relisted, or they went for the starting price. Not that I have ENOUGH PIPES or anything like that . . . --RJ-- |
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| steverino |
This is the kind of thing that just kills me. I was watching this one and then forgot to bid on it. Anyone here get them?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....RK:MEWAX:IT&item=390051651474 |
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| ozark southpaw |
$13.00 ? 4 Eldo's and a Royalton ? Plus a Duke! Haven't been spending any time on Ebay- hate to think what I've missed!!! | ||||
| steverino |
Somebody take a look at this one and tell me what to think about the stem.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Dr-Gr...18%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 |
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| drbridges |
That appears to be a submariner's pipe, Steve. You smoke it with the bowl facing forward between your eyes. Very handy when swimming and wade fishing in deep water. Not so handy in windy conditions.
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| ted |
The previous owner was riding a motorcycle really fast on a hot day.....ted | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
A 4300 series Special would be pretty old right? If it's a screw in stem it most likely would be the original that someone bent --registration looks good. Might be a cheap fixer upper! | ||||
| steverino |
Yeah, I couldn't help but wonder. I've never seen one bent quite like that. I figured you could put the bit in your mouth and then it would hang down so oncoming foot traffic could see that you really had smoldering tobacco in it. | ||||
| ted |
Seriously, I get this picture of someone who loves to smoke a pipe, but has to do it on his back. Perhaps someone who is bed-ridden.....ted | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
Steve, just heat the stem and un-bend it!
That could be Ted ! How else could it have been smoked without burning shirt or pants!! |
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| drbridges |
Or someone who works under cars. Or paints chapel ceilings. |
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| steverino |
I never thought of that - what a great idea. Good thinking, Ted. |
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| steverino |
Here are a DeLuxe and a Supreme advertised as "never smoked". Is anyone here bidding on these? If so, I won't.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....RK:MEWAX:IT&item=190319407134 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....RK:MEWAX:IT&item=190319409813 |
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| drbridges |
I'm not bidding on them, but they are interesting examples of DGPC Chicago pipes. Spade stem emblems, but the threads appear to be the older Linkman twist that is not compatible with the Lavietes twist adopted by later DG pipes. I may be wrong about the thread twist. I can't identify a 3/8" nut just by looking at it either. But the winner can try to screw the bit into an Ajusto DG to check out my guess.
Don't see many USM samples available from these period (late 1940's) DG pipes. The few I have collected remain unsmoked because I can't bring myself to do it. |
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| LokoMac8 |
I was watching both, but probably won't bid on them. I bought too many pipes and too much tobacco on my visit to North Carolina . . . --RJ-- |
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| LokoMac8 |
I don't have the willpower NOT to smoke them. I buy pipes to smoke, guns to shoot and cars to drive. Not much on the sitting around watching it collect dust type of collecting. When I fire up and old pipe like that, I take a little step back to the era and that in itself adds to the smoking pleasure. The pipe has been waiting for over sixty years for me to finally come along and enjoy it! --RJ-- |
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| steverino |
Yeah, I didn't bid either but wanted to. We're going on vacation in a couple of weeks and I'm getting stingier with my money so I'll have some to spend at Low Country Pipes. | ||||
| BWThomas |
I've been watching ebay for awhile, been holding off on bidding on some of this stuff since I discovered this forum. Didn't want to get in the way of any of you 'serious collectors' or run up the cost.. After all, all I'm gonna do is smoke em. |
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| steverino |
Oh, no problem BW, you go ahead and bid on anything you see that you like. I typically glom onto an Eldorado or a Regal every now and then, maybe a Commodore, but I definitely don't try to buy them all. It does make me happy to see someone on DGCF get the nice ones, though. | ||||
| drbridges |
When I see DG pipes going for high prices I smile thinking of the legacy my children & grandchildren may inherit. Some eBay sellers here, and they enjoy a good auction bidding battle also. Bid on anything you see & like. There is more than enough to go around. | ||||
| Terry292 |
I don't "collect", I "accumulate." Wouldn't own a pipe I wouldn't, or couldn't, smoke. Terry |
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| LokoMac8 |
I may be about the only one that goes a little crazy on bidding if it's a pipe with a stamped shape number I don't have. I am not a real big filter pipe man (though my appreciation for them grew when I seen the machine and THE MAN that makes them). I sort of "specialize" in the older Linkman's Dr. Grabows, but in the Sparta era Grabows, the Viscounts and Eldorados rule for me, if shape number stamped. Highest bidder wins and it becomes too difficult and laborious to check in here everytime you are going to bid on anything. Since eBay has coded the bidders' IDs, it's even harder to tell if you are stepping on a buddy's toes. Those IDs, once assigned, seem to stick with you once you get one. I know the ones for DRB, Tom Martin and a couple of others. Trouble is, many people may have the same code that you see, and then you sort of have to know their feedback number, too. (YOu can find your own by logging as a guest on eBay and then look at an item you've bid on.) eBay said they were protecting eBayers when they started hiding the identities, but in reality, I think they caught on that competitive bidding might be getting hurt for just the reason we are talking about here -- if I knew you were bidding on something, I would back off and let you have it. Anyway, long story short, I am sure I have enough pipes already, my bidding has slowed down immensely as my collection has grown, and now I am just filling in the gaps occasionally. If you outbid me, well, you just saved me some money! Don't worry about it -- just bid and have fun! And let us know what you get. --RJ-- |
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| LokoMac8 |
Another thing we have in common and just one more reason I liked you right from the start and meeting you in person only affirmed. I only have one unsmoked pipe that I locked in a display case so I can't get to it (even removed the hammer and the "break glass in case of emergency" sign). TED would literally kill me if I dared to smoke it!!! --RJ-- |
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| ted |
It managed to survive for 65 years un-smoked. Yes, probably crawl to Texas through fields of broken glass...........ted | ||||
| LokoMac8 |
Fear not -- it shall remain unsmoked! --RJ-- |
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| BWThomas |
I'm curious...what's the story behind this pipe? | ||||
| ted |
Made by D & P Pipe Works ....David and Paul Lavietes....in Sparta in 1943 or 1944. It's a small block of rhododendron or laurel with a carved maple stem. Stamped D & P. Unsmoked of course. Just a collectors item that was given to RJ...ted | ||||
| ozark southpaw |
Mac, does that case have a glass front so that you can at least take a picture and post it? I mean ,jeez, talk about about a pipe like that and don't show us !! Come on!! | ||||
| BWThomas |
I was just gonna say....how about a pic? | ||||
| drbridges |
There is a photo of a D&P Sparta pipe in the DGCF gallery. Just use d&p as a search term. It will come up. | ||||
| ted |
It's similar to RJ's, but not exactly the same. RJ's has a little rhododendron shank instead of being just a square block.
Guess I'm kinda' answering for RJ, but the pipe was once mine and I think RJ has probably gone back to work. He'll be busy for a while if he has....ted |
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