30-ish year old Algerian ebouchons anyone? - UPDATE: NO DEAL

Post by **Tyler** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:36 pm

When I was first getting into pipemaking about 7 years ago, there was a crotchety old man here in town that made pipes. I was able to visit with him a few times and show him my first pipe from a kit. He had bags of old pre-embargo Algerian briar, and I was going to exchange some labor for some of it. Well unfortunately he got ill and passed shortly thereafter. I tried with no luck to get ahold of his son several months later in hopes of buying the briar.

Fast forward 7 years, and today I happened to be driving by the old man's shop. There was a guy out front taking stuff out of the shop. On a whim I stopped and asked if he was the son. He was, and he let me look through the shop which has not been touched in the last seven years. Pipes laying everywhere, and briar, briar, briar. He said he'd sell it to me.

So...I don't need that much briar. Anyone want some OLD ebouchons for say $2-ish a block? I have not made a pipe from it, so I cannot vouch for it. I hope to at least get some samples in the coming weeks, but before I go further I want to poll for interest. At the rate I make pipes these days about the last thing I need to do is buy a few hundred blocks of briar and not be able to unload a big chunk of it.

Anyone?

Tyler

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:56 pm

Hi Tyler,

I sent emails to both addresses that I have for you. One or both have bounced in the past. Please email me.

Rad

Danskpibemager · Post by **Danskpibemager** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:29 pm

Tyler,
I would be very interested in the briar you picked up. I sent emails to your available addresses plus this post. Please email me! Thanks!
Kevin

BD · Post by BD » Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:58 pm

Tyler,

I would be very interested!

Bill

pierredekat · Post by **pierredekat** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:43 am

I don't know, $2-ish per block seems kinda steep.

But yeah, if you're looking to see who's interested, I'd sure be in for a few.

kkendall · Post by **kkendall** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:18 am

Sent an email.

Thx
Kim

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:33 am

Interested. Email sent.

Post by **Tyler** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:46 am

Oh yeah. He also said he had a few hundred pre-formed stems.

LatakiaLover · Post by **LatakiaLover** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:40 pm

The stems are definitely of interest to me, Tyler.

Please let me know what to do / who to contect next. (If you'd rather use email than post such info, the contact page on my site will make it easy. I check it several times a day.)

Thanks!

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:22 pm

Sounds like an interesting opportunity, Tyler. I'm very interested too. E-mail sent. My guess is you'll have no problem disposing of anything you don't want at $2 a pop, especially with all the interest here.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:27 pm

Hey Tyler, if you have some left after everyone elses order, I'm interested! Everyone else that orders before me that is, not everyone else that orders...

Post by **Tyler** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:24 am

OK, well, I guess the response has answered my question. Now I feel sort of bad actually. The response has been so overwhelming I apparently underestimated the value of the briar. I don't want to hose the guy.

At any rate, I'll be buying the briar. It is clear that I can off-load the extra. If you haven't already posted, then unfortunately you missed out. If you have already posted, I'll take things in the order of posts/emails. I can't guarantee briar to all that have already posted. I'll confess that I'd prefer to mail four packages instead of 16, so that may influence things. I promise I'll do my best to be fair.

LatakiaLover, you have been to only one interested in stems so far (though I did post that late). I suspect there are a few hundred of them, but I haven't seen them. I'll get back to you.

Thanks guys.

Tyler

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:18 am

Uh, Rad said I could have his!

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:55 am

Tyler, I would also be interested in stems, but if LL wants the whole batch, he gets priority.

JHowell · Post by **JHowell** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:57 am

Tyler, for what I've seen of these old ebauchons, I don't think you underpriced them by much, if at all. If you were guaranteeing sizes and shapes and weeding out warped/cracked blocks and offering returns, you might get $3 or $4. For sight unseen, the guy wants to get it gone, I think you're about right. I started with a bunch of this briar from a place called Online Pipes -- $4 was the most I paid for fairly large blocks. Granted, that was 2000-01, but a plateau block could be $20 back then too. I think the positive response reflects a good deal and a limited-time opportunity rather than a hosing of the seller.

Post by **Tyler** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:49 am

KurtHuhn wrote:Tyler, I would also be interested in stems, but if LL wants the whole batch, he gets priority.

Roger that, Kurt. I'll keep you in the stem loop too.

Post by **Tyler** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:51 am

JHowell wrote:Tyler, for what I've seen of these old ebauchons, I don't think you underpriced them by much, if at all. If you were guaranteeing sizes and shapes and weeding out warped/cracked blocks and offering returns, you might get $3 or $4. For sight unseen, the guy wants to get it gone, I think you're about right. I started with a bunch of this briar from a place called Online Pipes -- $4 was the most I paid for fairly large blocks. Granted, that was 2000-01, but a plateau block could be $20 back then too. I think the positive response reflects a good deal and a limited-time opportunity rather than a hosing of the seller.

That makes me feel better Jack. I didn't think I was hosing him until I got overwhelmed with requests for the wood. I think you are right, it is just a matter of a fair limited-time opportunity that is a good enough deal to take a risk on.

Tyler

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:31 pm

Jack hit the nail on the head, Tyler. It's just a timely offering, I think. Plus, it's already in the US, so nobody has to deal with APHIS getting the wood imported - I personally know that can be a royal pain.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:19 pm

Hi Tyler,
The forum e-mail seems to be stuck in the out box, so if you have some/any left I would certainly appreciate a few also.

If so, press my email button and we can work out any details.

Post by **Tyler** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:59 pm

So I made an offer to the fellow, and he said he had researched the value of the blocks, and had over estimated their value to me when we previously spoke. He then went on to say that his father was very particular with what blocks he bought, and that he had other plans for the briar.

No counter offer. No deal.

I have no idea what to think. Perhaps eBay? If anyone starts to see lots of old ebouchons on eBay, let me know.

Sorry for the false alarm.

Tyler

pipemakersforum.com

30-ish year old Algerian ebouchons anyone? - UPDATE: NO DEAL

30-ish year old Algerian ebouchons anyone? - UPDATE: NO DEAL

Interested in Briar