Are vintage Dunhills always $$$?

[Benzadmiral]

By chance I've run across a site, militaryauction.org, which has buy-it-now listings for vintage pipes via eBay, the U.S. site. I see Dunhills from the '50s and '60s listed for $200-250 or so, which -- based on the prices I see at SP and other places -- seem too good to be true. (Granted, the $500 and up Dunhills I see on SP are all very recent models.) While the eBay sellers (all domestic) have 100% positive feedback, they don't accept returns. Photos look good, however. I'm looking at one root briar from '66 and a tanshell from 1959.

Is this too good to be true, or is it that certain older Dunhills, like certain vintage cars, just don't command the prices of 2019 pipes? I've bought less expensive pipes on eBay without trouble, but moving up into the $200+ range makes me nervous. On the other hand, I would like a birth year Dunhill!

 

[nortac]

I've bought 2 vintage Dunhill pipes. One a birth year was not real expensive but was in marginal condition. Another I paid $200.00 and it was worth it, but probably not much more. You just have to be careful, as with any vintage pipe purchase.

 

[luvmysuper]

I can't speak for the honesty of the sellers, but I picked up this Dunhill Cumberland Poker for less than 80 bucks.
Sometimes people don't know what they have or don't care.

 

[Price]

I've bought 2 vintage Dunhill pipes. One a birth year was not real expensive but was in marginal condition. Another I paid $200.00 and it was worth it, but probably not much more. You just have to be careful, as with any vintage pipe purchase.

I can't speak for the honesty of the sellers, but I picked up this Dunhill Cumberland Poker for less than 80 bucks.
Sometimes people don't know what they have or don't care.

Yep. I got my birth year root briar at a very reasonable number. Just do your homework as best you can. If the seller has a decent amount of positive feedback, that's usually a pretty good indicator that they're not trying to swindle anyone. If the photos on the listing are just full shots (often the case with sellers who are not themselves pipe smokers), I would ask for close ups of the bit, as well as the shank. Most everything else, you should be able to clean up.

 

[Borderdog]

Sound advice from all.

Every Dunhill I own came from ebay. I don't think I'd pay SP prices for one. My cheapest set me back about $45. It's in good working order, but ugly. I've got 2 others that are pretty mint. I think both of them were in the $250 range. I also have a '63 that is in great shape that was around $125. All are great smokers. As far as looks go, I don't think anybody out there does a better job with the classic shapes.

If you want to get into a Dunhill, ebay and patience are the ticket. You can get better prices from lesser known sellers, especially those that don't deal primarily in pipes. Always check their ratings. My favorite Dunhill purchase was an unsmoked, in box (including the protective sleeve and original price tag), prince that I got for $150 from a well rated but aspiring ebay pipe vendor. His auctions now have reserves. We take the wins when we can get them.

 

[Benzadmiral]

All of this sounds good. The sellers I'm looking at all show detailed photos of the bowls, stems, the assembled pipe, the stem and bowl side by side, etc. And all the sellers have 100% ratings. I haven't seen my exact birth year Dunhill yet, but darn close, and those are very attractive pipes. I guess we'll see!

 

[DogLeg]

As an eBay seller, I can tell you that even if they "don't accept returns" the purchase is usually covered by "eBay money back guarantee" (look at the listing and you will see a link about it underneath the don't accept returns declaration).

What that means in practice is if the item doesn't match the description (based on the buyer's opinion) you will be able to return the item and get a refund.

It is entirely weighted to the buyer's advantage. Which is annoying when a buyer fails to read the item description and then files claim and you end up losing money on the transaction. But it's cool if you're the buyer.

 

[Benzadmiral]

One of the established sellers has a two-fer, a 1955 Tanshell and a 1960 Shell, both billiards, for the same price as one of his other tanshells. Both look well cared for. One has "2 rim cracks epoxy filled ...inner cracks sealed with a special bowl coat," and the other's stem is a replacement. Considering their age, they both look good. At $120 each, that's much closer to what I'd want to pay for a "special" pipe. Should I worry about the rim and inner cracks business?

 

[Price]

One of the established sellers has a two-fer, a 1955 Tanshell and a 1960 Shell, both billiards, for the same price as one of his other tanshells. Both look well cared for. One has "2 rim cracks epoxy filled ...inner cracks sealed with a special bowl coat," and the other's stem is a replacement. Considering their age, they both look good. At $120 each, that's much closer to what I'd want to pay for a "special" pipe. Should I worry about the rim and inner cracks business?

In short...yes.

The replacement stem I wouldn't worry about - it lowers the resale value, but you're buying pipes to smoke, not to sell.

Cracks in the bowl is a different story. Cracks tend to get worse over time, and I would be concerned inhaling burned epoxy. The "special bowl coat" is likely just pipe mud. Personally, I'd consider this pipe to not be a feasible smoker.

I'd pass, and keep looking.

 

[luvmysuper]

In short...yes.

The replacement stem I wouldn't worry about - it lowers the resale value, but you're buying pipes to smoke, not to sell.

Cracks in the bowl is a different story. Cracks tend to get worse over time, and I would be concerned inhaling burned epoxy. The "special bowl coat" is likely just pipe mud. Personally, I'd consider this pipe to not be a feasible smoker.

I'd pass, and keep looking.

I'm with @Price
Sometimes a good deal isn't.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I'm with @Price
Sometimes a good deal isn't.

That's kind of what I thought. The fellow has been on eBay since '16 and seems to specialize in pipes. He has another with no mention of rim or other cracks. ". . . [T]ight-fitting, original straight bit with no issues...cleaned and sanitized...faint ghosting (ozone applied)...a sitter...sterling silver shank crack repair band...great ring grain."

 

[Price]

That's kind of what I thought. The fellow has been on eBay since '16 and seems to specialize in pipes. He has another with no mention of rim or other cracks. ". . . [T]ight-fitting, original straight bit with no issues...cleaned and sanitized...faint ghosting (ozone applied)...a sitter...sterling silver shank crack repair band...great ring grain."

A silver band repair of a small crack in the shank is usually structurally sound. It may look a little beaten up, but it will likely smoke just fine.

 

[Benzadmiral]

A silver band repair of a small crack in the shank is usually structurally sound. It may look a little beaten up, but it will likely smoke just fine.

The 1959 pipe I mention looks grand in his photos. It's a few years off my birth year, though not much, and a 64-year-old pipe is something special in and of itself.

 

[Price]

The 1959 pipe I mention looks grand in his photos. It's a few years off my birth year, though not much, and a 64-year-old pipe is something special in and of itself.

I mean...if you're looking for someone to talk you out of buying it, you're in the wrong forum.

Spoiler

 

[Benzadmiral]

I mean...if you're looking for someone to talk you out of buying it, you're in the wrong forum.

Spoiler

View attachment 1703711

Oh, no; I'm looking for advice to avoid making a stupid purchase!

 

[Price]

Oh, no; I'm looking for advice to avoid making a stupid purchase!

The 1959 you mention is a handsome pipe, and the shank repair looks to have been professionally done. Whether it's "worth" the price is entirely subjective, but I would say the list price is certainly not unreasonable.