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Cheaper than you think

Have you ever noticed how people who find the price of high-grade pipes daunting will often talk of "$400+ briars"? For some reason, this arbitrary threshold has entrenched itself in the pipe scene's body of supposed knowledge. Fortunately, it's way too high! Premium pipes can be found for a lot less.

No, you won't get a Bo or a Teddy Eagle, but many established carvers have entry-grade tags that might surprise you. They consider it in their own interest to offer simple shapes, unspectacular grain or rough finishes at prices low enough to attract new customers. Despite lower profits on such pieces, they see a chance to swell the ranks of their loyalists.

Likewise, some (by no means all) makers are beginning to recognise the dangers of continental price drifts: By maintaining dollar prices on his Italian website, Paolo Becker ensures equality for American and European smokers, whereas Rainer Barbi has developed other mechanisms to prevent American prices from excessively towering above European standards. Paolo's rough pipes start at $200, and Rainer's lower grades can also be spotted for less than $400.

"The $400 threshold is a wild myth," says German online vendor Stefan Rajek of estatepipes.de. "Quite a number of high-graders offer blasts at significantly less than that. With a bit of luck, you can also get a smooth pipe by someone like Tao or even Former."

Jörn Larsen and German 'wunderkind' Cornelius Mänz are others to withstand the inflationary urge. A sandblast by Jörn can be found for under $300, if you have the patience, while Cornelius' pricing policy is far more modest than rarity and reputation might suggest. Blasts, rusticated pipes and even some smooth ones are available for $350 or less - though they are currently liable to get snapped up very fast.

Among the Americans with high-end status, many (including some with a hyper-expensive image) offer entry-level pipes for well under $400: Walt Cannoy, Brian Ruthenberg and Todd Johnson fit this bill. In theory, at least, even Larry Roush and Trever Talbert advertise eligible price categories on their websites, though their actual output on this tier seems minimal. However, Trever's alternative brand, the Ligne Bretagne portfolio, sports a Collector Grade. Effectively a Talbert Briar second, such a pipe can often be purchased for less than $300.

Masterpieces from Larsen and Nielsen

The above list is grossly incomplete - shop around, and you'll add at least a dozen names to it.

Alternatively, if you don't mind estates, halve your spending limit to $200, and look at a W.O. Larsen Straight Grain. These pipes were made independently by some of Denmark's best - Teddy Knudsen and Tonni Nielsen being among the most prolific Larsen sub-contractors. Former, Ilsted, Hedegaard and Jess Chonowitsch were also once known to deliver to the firm. Graded from 1 to 10 (plus the elusive Pearls at the top of the scale), dealers' used prices start at around $150. With a spot of luck, you can get one for considerably less on Ebay.

Even new, Bjarne Nielsen's signature pipes - produced according to the same farm-out philosophy as the Larsen SGs - need not cost more than $200, with top pieces available for around $500. Ph. Vigen and Johs are among the carvers who work for the brand, rumour also naming Hedegaard and Ilsted. As with Larsen, be careful that you get a true high grade, since both companies also churn out factory pipes. A premium Larsen always displays a 'Straight Grain' stamp on the top of the shank, whereas a Bjarne Nielsen should not be confused with a simple 'Bjarne'. The stamp should include the surname. Don't be fooled by the fact that the cheaper Bjarnes may also be marked as hand-made pieces.

Placing bets

Ironically, one rather enticing way of getting a masterpiece for cheap is best left to more experienced buyers (those already owning an enviable arsenal of high grades to use as a yardstick). Finding a budding genius and buying before he hits the inflation trail is no trivial exercise. Admittedly, it's not unusual to meet a newcomer with as yet unfulfilled high-grade potential. The tricky thing is to spot one who is already delivering the goods, and indicates some staying power.

Currently, carvers like Erik Nielsen from Denmark lack little but a reputation boost - whereas others with talent have a steeper learning curve ahead of them. Who's to say whether they'll endure the climb? And even if they do: a 'training pipe' by a future star remains a curiosity, rather than a gem in its own right. Only very specialised collectors will rush to relieve you of it, should you ever wish to sell.

Watch out, too, for those new carvers hyped by a loyal (often somewhat regional) clique of decidedly obscure devotees. When a pipe by an unknown producer is declared "every bit as good as a Bang", yet only costs $125, you can afford to wait for the rest of the world to offer its opinion. More often than not, the high-grade collectors will detect ample reason to ignore the brand. On the other hand, if the bigwigs do start getting excited, there's still time to buy before prices hit the ceiling. You will probably miss that maker's 'steal phase', but you can get in early enough to score a reasonable bargain.

Of course, the above only applies if you are determined to own a pipe the world will one day unanimously acknowledge as a 'high grade'. Should you be reasonably convinced that a $125 pipe is worth both the asking price and your own time, then go with your desires. Besides, you may just get lucky and unearth a gem - despite your unmercenary motives.

Dusty boxes

You might even get extremely lucky. In Europe, at least, there is one other source of cheap high-grades: seek out an obscure tobacconist in a backstreet or little country town, and check his stock for leftovers from the pipe boom of the 1970s and 80s. Often, the initial response will be that "we don't sell pipes anymore." But when coincidence smiles, a dusty box of briars procured by some former store owner might just be found. As you study the old price tags, memories of more affordable times may start humming tunes in your head.

Dangling from your author's mouth, as he writes these lines: a Larsen Straight Grain 8, purchased from a basket of old, unused pipes for 60 euros. I've seen smooth Dunhills for €180, grabbed a Jorgen Larsen for €90, and even know of a Tsuge Ikebana someone bought at a lottery kiosk in Hamburg.

Of course, such flukes are few and far between, but the multi-tracked minds we collectors hope to preserve should find plenty of mitigating circumstances for an unsuccessful search. There's always a country walk with a beer at the end, or a double dose of Hamburg rain to be earned, whatever an outing's outcome in briar.

(May 31, 2004)

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