ALERT! Stolen Pipes. Be on Lookout.

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by David M

I may be getting the list of pipes soon. That will help.

Turns out its actually TWENTY!!!!! Bo Nordh pipes.
If this Gentleman has 20 of those pipes. Holy Mary - I cant even begin to imagine the total appraised cost of his whole collection.
One Bo Nordh seems to easily go for $4,000 and above.
Kind of flabbergasting. (very under utilized word right there)

There is one Nordh pipe on eBay right now.
Closet Inspector Clouseau's UNITE!

Until we meet again and the case is sohlveyed!

[frankluke]

Originally Posted by David M

Just curious...from a how fast and to where does a message travel over the internet...perspective - Where did you hear about it??

I think it all depends.
If the crook stole it for another collector wanting to spit current collector because they are enemies. Nothing will be public.

There's 101 silly and some realistic scenarios we could come up with.
From what I hear this collection was extremely extensive. Many many, likely hundreds of pipes.
I could see a Black Market for pipes existing in some shady places.
Who knows....this guy was maybe talking a bit too loud about his collection in front of the wrong people and they took advantage. Bastages!

Come on Clouseau's!!!

it's everywhere (the news) marty has it on his front page, it's on altsmokers and all the other forums... the guy who's pipes were stolen posted about it at altsmokers now that i think about it.

just talking with some friends about it, if the pipes ever were to pop up it would be very private (obviously) and probably sold to collectors in russia or hong kong, japan.

but i'm starting to like the theory more of rivals collectors butting heads and them having the guys pipes stolen.

or maybe he just insured them up the wazoo and he's gonna collect on a big fat check.

this could be a great movie, somebody call olivar stone

[bigkev77]

Originally Posted by frankluke

it's everywhere (the news)

or maybe he just insured them up the wazoo and he's gonna collect on a big fat check.

That is what I was thinking. Tough times and a big chunk of money tied up in a collection of pipes. I hope that is not the case though. I does make quite the forum mystery.

[Alpedhuez55]

20 pipes at 4K each...that is what I paid for my house!!!

I hope he was insured for it.

[Bear Graves]

Originally Posted by David M

I agree with both your suggestions.
Unfortunately myself and the original poster are not the victims here and so info is limited. I did pass along the request though.
Police cant find a stolen vehicle without at least a general idea of make and description. So I am right there with ya.

There is also an element of 'if you see someone selling a big lot of high grade pipes' you know who to call but still. Who knows what he/she will do and how they try to sell them.

I was confused by the "2 or more Bo Nordh pipes" comment.
Hard to believe that the collector did not know how many pipes he had from a specific carver.

Will pass along more info if I get it.
Thanks for keeping an eye out.
Fellow brother and all so we can all feel his pain.

A few years ago, a man walked into a tobacco shop in Charleston, wanting to sell some Hiro-Grade pipes from Hiroyuki Tokutomi, Satous, Aritas, an Eltang or two (all new), you get the idea. The proprietor knew that only one dealer in the world could possibly have been the "supplier" and the man didn't strike her as an uber-grade collector. We were given a call.

Turns out the man had some previous experience with one of our local competitors (Myrtle Beach), had been let go from that employment for some time and was now doing a good deal of hang-out time at our shop. We had a good, aggressive detective from our local PD on it.

If I recall, he plead out, no time served.

We process a ton of estates, hell we have had single days when we have purchased 400+ high grades. We might seem a logical place, for someone who doesn't know us, to try to fence the wood. I passed this to the two gents who receive, value and make offers on the estates several days ago. FWIW, having been on the ripped off sign of the coin, we will be very aggressive in working with the true owner/authorities if the briars pass our way.

Da' Bear

[Bear Graves]

Since we all have our Holmesian hats on...

1. As previous posters have said, the man stole what amounts to be one of the least liquid/disposable products out there.

2. Dealers who have the capability of a cash disbursement to purchase the load are extremely few and would smell a rat. Even if that dealer was unscrupulous, that dealer still has to sell them. To make a long negation short, I'd pretty much rule it out.

3. That leaves only two relatively safe methods of eventual placement, ones that won't result in handcuffs.

a. His personal collection, and one that he dare not flash for many years at a pipe gathering. Usually a person who does well enough financially to already be heavily involved in high-grade acquisitions, has far too much to lose to do the theft directly, leading to my current preference...

b. He began the project having a ready, willing and able buyer/collector. The logical extrapolation, at least to my mind, is that he might well have done it as a contract job for someone who wanted to mightily expand his personal collection for 10-20 cents on the dollar.

the game is afoot!

Da' Bear

[Mad Hatter]

Well spoken Bear. I was initially reminded of the antiquities and fine art black markets. Some people just wish to own and covet w/o a thought of ever parting ways.

[Bear Graves]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

Well spoken Bear. I was initially reminded of the antiquities and fine art black markets. Some people just wish to own and covet w/o a thought of ever parting ways.

Aye... Many a famous painting and sculpture masterpiece has never resurfaced, most likely now enjoying the comforts of a study in a mansion. If this is the case, I hope the asshat chokes on tonight's foie gras...

[Mad Hatter]

Looks like theyre in the process of nabbing these guys after they were put on the auction block at Ebay

[cp478]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

Looks like theyre in the process of nabbing these guys after they were put on the auction block at Ebay

good, i hope they nail em to the wall!

i can't stand a thief.

[MarkC]

Originally Posted by drastic_quench

If a collection (of anything) that valuable wasn't insured, I've got very little sympathy for the victim.

I assume you are an insurance salesman...?

[drastic_quench]

Nope, just practical I suppose.

It's amusing to see people on Antiques Roadshow discover that the pottery they let the dog drink out of should be insured for fifty grand. So when someone accumulates a great collection of anything they know to be very valuable, how can they not protect their investment?

[MarkC]

Oh, I agree; I just can't go as far as having no sympathy. But then I could probably insure all my pipes for fifty cents a month...