Collecting is a deeply personal objective that means something different depending on both the individual and the collection in question: two separate assortments of the same kind of items may reflect very different attitudes depending on the person accumulating them. For instance, two collections of classic toys may very well display part of the collector's personality, judging by whether they're boxed and mint, set behind glass, lining shelves, placed around one's house as decor, very obviously played with, or some combination of these. In some collections, the pristine-ness of the object collected is in direct correlation to the degree of attachment or joy associated with it, while others value the fact that the thing they're collecting has been used, or that it shows the history of itself through the marks, scuffs, or "imperfections" it bears.

Pipes are no different, though they have the added complication of being items that can be used regularly, carried with us to partake in as we please, and that has a direct physical connection with the smoker when in use, which only serves to deepen the personal relationship we have with our smoking devices. However, as with every collection, practices and the manner of appreciation differ between those doing the collecting, meaning that, for some, a pipe's value lies not in its ability to smoke, but in its qualities as an art piece, its historical connections, its rarity, or the personal events surrounding its acquisition.

There's seemingly no end to the variety of pipe collections out there, some being entirely made up of specific lines within specific brands, and each one holds a unique place inside the collector's mind. Personally, I've been focusing on pipes by Asian artisanal makers, pieces with silver bands and Cumberland-style finishes, and both Apple and Billiard family shapes in my major acquisitions, as they scratch a very particular itch for me that always makes me smile when I look at them. I have other pipes, certainly, but only a select few are truly members of my "collection;" the others are mainly used as daily smokers.

This has not been the first set of characteristics that have defined my collecting, however, as my tastes looked vastly different when I first started smoking a pipe compared to now. From shapes, to finishes, and styles, all of the things I consider before a purchase have shifted significantly. Five years ago, my focus was on larger, more Freehand-style pieces that were, ideally, deeply bent and smooth; now I prefer smaller, subtly bent and straight pipes with shapes that are more classic, both sandblasted and smooth, but highlight either ring grain or birdseye. As such, the pipes that make up "The Collection" have been in a state of constant, gradual flux, entering and exiting my rotation as my preferences evolve, my experiences shaping my perception of these pipes and guiding my growth in the hobby.

This change in perception wasn't solely engendered by the way the pipes smoked, however, but additionally through my exposure to the wider pipe making and pipe-smoking world, and through an ongoing process of learning the methods, traditions, and artistic styles of the medium. The more one inhabits the pipe community, the more one connects with others or interacts with those of differing opinions, the faster this learning becomes, granting a fuller appreciation and understanding of these smoking totems that unite us.

The learning is easy, the experiencing is a joy, and the excitement of discovery is wholly unique; the challenge lies in learning how to let go. This lesson can be tough to grapple with at first, especially if one discovers that their growth as a pipe smoker has outpaced a pipe that, at one point, may have been a favorite.

I learned this lesson for the first time with my first artisan piece, a lovely little sandblasted Blowfish with a slim, vulcanite saddle stem, and it took months of deliberation before I finally realized that I just wasn't very excited about it anymore. Not because it wasn't beautiful or it didn't smoke well or the fitment was off, no, but because I was inexperienced, unpracticed, and lacked grace in my smoking ability. I was perpetually terrified every time I smoked it because I couldn't stomach the idea of accidentally leaving a tooth mark in the stem or even darkening the rim, let alone carbonizing the chamber with my too-quick smoking cadence. I had already shifted my smoking habits to favor thicker-bowled, acrylic-stemmed pieces that were more forgiving if smoked too hot, and less prone to tooth marks. For that reason, my little Blowfish sat on the rack, disused and seldom smoked, and, while I still loved it for its looks, it was saddening to think how scarcely it would get to fulfill its duty as a smoking pipe. So I traded it in.

I was not without my concerns, afraid I would regret it once the deed was done, but after the process was finished, I felt hopeful. Not only was I excited to see what my newfound credit could replace it with, but I was happy that, in the near future, another smoker, another passionate member of this small and tightly knit community, would claim it as their own and enjoy it to their fullest ability. Not everyone will go through the same processes to identify those pipes of theirs that may warrant being sent to our estates program, and not everyone is as pipe-brained as to routinely examine their entire assortment of pipes on an almost daily basis to check and make sure they're being adequately used. Since every pipe person's individual collection is different, no one approach will fit everyone. That said, there are some frameworks that may assist collectors of various persuasions in gathering their own selection of smokers they would be comfortable trading in.

Collector/Smokers

For those of a similar mind to myself, pipe enthusiasts whose primary ambition is to smoke their briars, the aforementioned persistent analysis of the pipes will certainly help, but that's not necessarily possible for everybody. What may be more achievable is a system inspired by a now re-trending practice made popular for New Years' in recent memory. The idea is that, on New Years' Day, every article of clothing hanging in one's closet should be flipped, so that the hangers are facing opposite whichever direction they were initially in the year prior. As these clothes are used, washed, and put back away, their hangers are flipped to their original position, indicating their use. After a predetermined period of time, somewhere between six months and a year, this arrangement of hangers should show exactly which clothes are regularly worn, and which ones are most at home in storage. Then, the clothes that are primarily unworn are donated, freeing up space and decluttering one's closet with relatively little effort, all while avoiding the pitfall of ceaseless self-debate.

For fellow smokers/collectors, while we don't hang our pipes in the closet, it's very likely that we have our spread set out on racks, or something similar. Rather than inverting your pipes in their resting place, unless your rack can achieve that without the pipes toppling, you could start the year by putting something in each chamber, such as a small piece of paper or cotton ball. As the year progresses, you should be able to see exactly which of those pipes you're not using simply by glancing at the chamber, and if these continue to be neglected, it may be worth considering trading them in. As long as they aren't burned up or otherwise damaged, they can be cleaned up for someone else to enjoy. Cake can be reamed out, shanks scrubbed with alcohol, and stems can come back to life with a good clean and polish.

Collector/Curators

I have a great deal of respect for those in this category of enthusiast. Curator is in no way meant to be a pejorative, but rather the opposite: summoning visions of those with vast, ordered collections that highlight particular slices of pipe-making history or of a style they see great value in. In my mind, a Curator is one that must consider the whole of their collection if they are to move pieces out of it, as the individual members all contribute to the greater history or stylistic oeuvre reflected by the collection. In that sense, being cognizant of exactly what these individuals are contributing is necessary.

For instance, if the collection is primarily concerned with Italian pipes and their history, an older piece from a long-established workshop may be of more collectible and personal worth, regardless of condition, than a newer, less-smoked one. Or, if one's collection is of a particular shape, pieces that display evolution in that shape or that are dressed in little-known finishes are likely going to be of greater significance than those of a more standardized construction. It may prove useful to narrow one's focus, should a Curator wish to make a change, taking time to consider precisely what one hopes to reflect through one's pipes: whether grain or smokability matter to the collective, if historical significance is more desirable than stylistic continuity, or if there are any pipes that may detract from the impact of the others.

This last part will be entirely subjective, and essentially boils down to cohesion, as a collection of vintage English Billiards may look strange accompanied by a smattering of Danish Freehands. Since the tapestry of a Curator's collection is so intricately woven, it is a great feat for anyone in this position to pare down their assemblage, regardless of reason, but judicious individuals regularly considering the whole may very well have that tapestry improved or enhanced by careful subtractions and additions.

the pipes that make up "The Collection" have been in a state of constant, gradual flux, entering and exiting my rotation as my preferences evolve, my experiences shaping my perception of these pipes and guiding my growth in the hobby

Let us not forget that a great many objects we collect simply remind us of a person or place. Sometimes we purchase pipes at a show after meeting the carver and sharing a connection of time and place, or perhaps we have a pipe from a dear friend we just can't let go of. These are sometimes wonderful pipes to keep in our memory collections (and perhaps letting other pieces go can help us add to these micro-collections).

Collector/Gallerists

The Gallerist is one for whom the primary objective of pipe collecting is to surround themselves with as much beauty as possible, all in the medium we delight in celebrating. For the Gallerist, the pipe is art, pure and simple, art to be considered and appreciated, potentially without ever being smoked. As such, it's very likely that this kind of collector regularly ponders their pipes' aesthetics, and doubly so if they act as decorative art in frequently trafficked locations.

The Gallerist may well be one that takes considerable effort in selecting what pieces should join their gallery, in much the same way as the Curator, so gauging which of those pipes may best be traded in can be a challenge. Since these pipes are generally acquired for art's sake, and active appreciation is the best way to take in art, the best way to determine if your pipes are estate-worthy is to note the ones you don't look at. It sounds a bit silly at first blush, but, if there are art pieces in a gallery that go almost entirely unseen, let alone unappreciated, what is their purpose? Are they serving the beautifying utility for which they were acquired if they go unnoticed?

Likewise, as with all other pipe smokers on their individual journeys, tastes change, and in that way the impressions one piece may have offered years ago could have shifted, altered, or dampened, muting the lustrous charm it may have once held. If there are pipes that immediately come to mind after considering this, it could be beneficial to trade them in efforts to refresh the allure of your personal gallery.

The learning is easy, the experiencing is a joy, and the excitement of discovery is wholly unique; the challenge lies in learning how to let go

Pipes are powerfully collectable items once one truly delves into the wider world of styles, makers, sizes, tobaccos, chamber dimensions, finishes, and sees the potential of briar and vulcanite (or acrylic) to become something much greater than the sum of its parts: disparate pieces combining into functional, historically-connected works of art that can be carried and used readily. It's worth occasionally reminding us that pipes are indeed valuable and worth something, be that monetarily or emotionally, not only so that members of the community can share in the individual history of these pipes, but so that one's progression and evolution as a collector are improved.

We at Smokingpipes are happy to assist anyone in refreshing their collection, with fair rates for estate trade-ins on either cash or store credit options. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the particulars, or if you'd like to let us know about an incoming batch you want us to evaluate.