pipemakersforum.com

Look closely at the inset shots and tell me what you see:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Charatan-034-s- ... 7675.l2557

That's 6 kinds of bad. Maybe 7.

Wow! Some briar is wasted in the wrong hands.

Oh! At first I thought, that looks alright and then......

This makes me feel better about myself. Now if I culd just sell my stuff for 400+.

I think I see a possible poor transition on the Stanwell billiard, is that the one you are talking about?
I would definitely want to more views.
Or am I looking at the wrong pipe?
DocAitch

Doc ---

The Charatan. Expand the photos under the main listing photo by clicking on them.

I saw the Charatan, but since your header referred to a billiard, I looked at the two billiards.
I have long noted that the old Charatans had odd divots and such , presumably to carve out flaws in the briar ( or maybe the sander was drunk).
" Stamp 'hand made ' on a dog turd and someone will buy it", as my old (I believe he was 35 or so) mentor use to say.
DocAitch

Ancient Zen koan: sometimes the passenger looks much fatter than the driver.

At first I couldn't find it, looked like billiard with stunning grain. But then... is the stummel really THAT far off to the side?

Somebody paid too much for that. Poor fella.

Beautiful grain but terrible shaping. That pipe is all janked up.