The Half Ashed Cigar Forum

I've been cleaning house and thinning the herd today. I've reached a verdict. I'm keeping the pipes pictured plus about 40 more that are a subset of my collection (LHS/Sterncrest from the 1910's-50's). These move with me, the subset stays stateside until I can move it, and I'm selling about 80 others that don't make the grade. I feel optimized.

On to the tobacco....

And I thought my wife had too many purses and trumpet pals had too many mouthpieces...

I noticed something unexpected when I was sorting through all the pipes. Of those I kept, there are few I feel any kind of monetary attachment to. Don't get me wrong; several of my favorites are valuable in terms of $. However, the majority of the ones I've become attached to are:

1. Undervalued Great smokers...there are a couple of pipes in there that would be worthless to the rest of the world, but priceless to me because they just do their job and do it well.

2. Associations to people or events from the past...whether my Dad, people I hung around with when I happened to buy that particular pipe, or whatever. They bring back good memories when I take them out for a spin.

3. The hunt. Some of the specimens I have were hard-fought battles to find "that" pipe. I have quite a few pipes that are, in Hillbilly terms, made of pure "Unobtainium." Rarities that - whether by age, scarcity or the fact that they were made by artisans now deceased - were long drawn out periods of work to find. That little short guy that's 5th from the right on the top row for example. It's a 1909 pipe (based on the silver hallmark) from a long defunct English maker. Top row, 3rd & 4th from the left? 30's era Comoy Blue Ribands in near perfect condition. I spent (literally) years looking for those pipes. Middle row, far right: a 1954 Dunhill I stumbled on in a lot that cost me all of $5. That was a once in a lifetime find. I could go on and on....but the gist is that they all have a story. Don't misunderstand; if they don't smoke well I don't have any interest in keeping them around just for posterity. But when I say "I feel optimized" I mean it. My new, streamlined collection is much more meaningful and a greater source of pleasure than the bloated bunch of briar I've had lying around. Every single one of those I've kept has a story to tell.

My pipe mojo has kicked up a few notches today. Feeling in a groove.


If you want to talk overkill (a la purses or mouthpieces), you should see my cellar of pipe tobacco. If I started smoking two bowls a day right now, it will run out when I'm 83 years old. I'll probably be selling off some of that too. I have no clue how I'm going to get that to the DR.....

Kip wrote: My new, streamlined collection is much more meaningful and a greater source of pleasure than the bloated bunch of briar I've had lying around. Every single one of those I've kept has a story to Tell.

If you want to talk overkill (a la purses or mouthpieces), you should see my cellar of pipe tobacco. If I started smoking two bowls a day right now, it will run out when I'm 83 years old. I'll probably be selling off some of that too. I have no clue how I'm going to get that to the DR.....

Oh, I don't doubt you at all. Have you thought about using some household items that can be used as "mules?"

"unobtanium." That's mighty funny.

"...bloated bunch of briar." Dang, that's funny, too. You should try that stuff during the show!

Isn't "unobtainium" the stuff from Avatar?

kurtdesign1 wrote:Isn't "unobtainium" the stuff from Avatar?

Dunno. Haven't seen the movie.....but the term has been in use for far longer than the movie has been around.

Kip wrote:

kurtdesign1 wrote:Isn't "unobtainium" the stuff from Avatar?

Dunno. Haven't seen the movie.....but the term has been in use for far longer than the movie has been around.

Interesting. I hadn't heard it before, or after, actually.

According to "The Google" and Wikipedia, the term has been in use at least since the '50s...

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