Thank you all for the feedback! and yes, I do know that most makers don't start in the $300 range, but it is also my understanding that most don't start being taught by someone who's pipes are in the $2000-3000 range. I honestly didn't know how to price them, one of the acquisition reps at Smokingpipes.com appraised them at that range for me and I just kind of went with it, though I do understand the disparity as I do not have the reputation built up yet.
Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement!
Latest Pipe Purchase 2019
k, i think i have an idea. you need to connect with a highly respected, influential. emminently knowledgeable pipe man. someone with impeccable taste, and disarming wit and charm. someone who is immediately called to mind as the ultimate authority to consult on any contested pipe matter under consideration. once found, send him a dozen examples of your finest work, beg the indulgence of sharing his considered opinion, then stay by your well-charged phone or device of choice.Bjensen1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:03 pm Hello all,
I have recently joined the forum and have been enjoying everyone's enthusiasm. I'm a pipe carver based out of Chicago, and I was hoping I could pick all of your brains a bit about where I should try to find more customers (also, apologies if this is the wrong forum for this question). The man I've been learning from is Alex Florov, and while he is a fantastic teacher, his pipes can sell for over $2000, placing his market and client base well beyond where I currently am. I have sold pipes at the last Chicago show, which was fun, but only comes once a year.
I have, through my teacher, some connections with high end, collectors market dealers, and while they helped me appraise my pipes, they won't buy any until I have made more of a name for myself, which means selling more pipes, and I simply don't have the connections to sell more entry level pipes. My price ranges from $300-500, and I know that's not within everyone's price range, so I'm not trying to hound you all to drop everything and buy them. I guess what I am asking is for advice on where I might be able to find customers as I wait for next years Chicago show? I'll attach a few images of my work for reference, and if you want to see everything my Instagram is "jensenpipes"
Thank you all for reading this whale of a post, and for any advice you may have.
i'll PM my name and address...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
insufferable filter guy
insufferable filter guy
avid wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 7:33 pmk, i think i have an idea. you need to connect with a highly respected, influential. emminently knowledgeable pipe man. someone with impeccable taste, and disarming wit and charm. someone who is immediately called to mind as the ultimate authority to consult on any contested pipe matter under consideration. once found, send him a dozen examples of your finest work, beg the indulgence of sharing his considered opinion, then stay by your well-charged phone or device of choice.Bjensen1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:03 pm Hello all,
I have recently joined the forum and have been enjoying everyone's enthusiasm. I'm a pipe carver based out of Chicago, and I was hoping I could pick all of your brains a bit about where I should try to find more customers (also, apologies if this is the wrong forum for this question). The man I've been learning from is Alex Florov, and while he is a fantastic teacher, his pipes can sell for over $2000, placing his market and client base well beyond where I currently am. I have sold pipes at the last Chicago show, which was fun, but only comes once a year.
I have, through my teacher, some connections with high end, collectors market dealers, and while they helped me appraise my pipes, they won't buy any until I have made more of a name for myself, which means selling more pipes, and I simply don't have the connections to sell more entry level pipes. My price ranges from $300-500, and I know that's not within everyone's price range, so I'm not trying to hound you all to drop everything and buy them. I guess what I am asking is for advice on where I might be able to find customers as I wait for next years Chicago show? I'll attach a few images of my work for reference, and if you want to see everything my Instagram is "jensenpipes"
Thank you all for reading this whale of a post, and for any advice you may have.
i'll PM my name and address...
I'll get right on that lolavid wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 7:33 pmk, i think i have an idea. you need to connect with a highly respected, influential. emminently knowledgeable pipe man. someone with impeccable taste, and disarming wit and charm. someone who is immediately called to mind as the ultimate authority to consult on any contested pipe matter under consideration. once found, send him a dozen examples of your finest work, beg the indulgence of sharing his considered opinion, then stay by your well-charged phone or device of choice.Bjensen1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:03 pm Hello all,
I have recently joined the forum and have been enjoying everyone's enthusiasm. I'm a pipe carver based out of Chicago, and I was hoping I could pick all of your brains a bit about where I should try to find more customers (also, apologies if this is the wrong forum for this question). The man I've been learning from is Alex Florov, and while he is a fantastic teacher, his pipes can sell for over $2000, placing his market and client base well beyond where I currently am. I have sold pipes at the last Chicago show, which was fun, but only comes once a year.
I have, through my teacher, some connections with high end, collectors market dealers, and while they helped me appraise my pipes, they won't buy any until I have made more of a name for myself, which means selling more pipes, and I simply don't have the connections to sell more entry level pipes. My price ranges from $300-500, and I know that's not within everyone's price range, so I'm not trying to hound you all to drop everything and buy them. I guess what I am asking is for advice on where I might be able to find customers as I wait for next years Chicago show? I'll attach a few images of my work for reference, and if you want to see everything my Instagram is "jensenpipes"
Thank you all for reading this whale of a post, and for any advice you may have.
i'll PM my name and address...
"The woods are lovely dark and deep
but I have promises to keep
and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"
-Robert Frost
but I have promises to keep
and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"
-Robert Frost
- Ruffinogold
- The Mayor
- Posts: 9051
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:48 pm
- Location: Mineral Bluff , Georgia
Carve a symmetrical billiard, ball and Prince , by hand , then give everyone the finger and go back to making orange and black stained Danish shapes and over charge the hell out of them . Theres a number of makers these days carving shapes that aren't defined and staining orange and black and over charging the hell out of them , why shouldn't you. Who cares what smoking pipes.com says .
" I believe adventure is nothing but a romantic name for trouble " L.L.
- Houtenziel
- Codger in Training
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:58 pm
Honestly, I think the best thing you could do is go the ind
Either through your own site, or through a service like Etsy(or both!). This will at least get you some visibility, and get your pipes in the hands of people who can rave about your good work.
It might not hurt to check out some other pipe maker's sites and see what they are doing to move their stuff. Just as an example - https://www.owlpipes.com/
From what I have observed, he moved his own pipes for a long time(and apparently still does), and then a while back I noticed that tobaccopipes.com picked up his stuff. They seem to sell pretty rapidly too.
I am no businessman, but from a practical perspective I would consider going the route that a lot of the other up and coming pipe makers have gone, and sell your pipes yourself online.Bjensen1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:03 pm Hello all,
I have recently joined the forum and have been enjoying everyone's enthusiasm. I'm a pipe carver based out of Chicago, and I was hoping I could pick all of your brains a bit about where I should try to find more customers (also, apologies if this is the wrong forum for this question). The man I've been learning from is Alex Florov, and while he is a fantastic teacher, his pipes can sell for over $2000, placing his market and client base well beyond where I currently am. I have sold pipes at the last Chicago show, which was fun, but only comes once a year.
I have, through my teacher, some connections with high end, collectors market dealers, and while they helped me appraise my pipes, they won't buy any until I have made more of a name for myself, which means selling more pipes, and I simply don't have the connections to sell more entry level pipes. My price ranges from $300-500, and I know that's not within everyone's price range, so I'm not trying to hound you all to drop everything and buy them. I guess what I am asking is for advice on where I might be able to find customers as I wait for next years Chicago show? I'll attach a few images of my work for reference, and if you want to see everything my Instagram is "jensenpipes"
Thank you all for reading this whale of a post, and for any advice you may have.
Either through your own site, or through a service like Etsy(or both!). This will at least get you some visibility, and get your pipes in the hands of people who can rave about your good work.
It might not hurt to check out some other pipe maker's sites and see what they are doing to move their stuff. Just as an example - https://www.owlpipes.com/
From what I have observed, he moved his own pipes for a long time(and apparently still does), and then a while back I noticed that tobaccopipes.com picked up his stuff. They seem to sell pretty rapidly too.
“To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
― Theodore Roosevelt
- Houtenziel
- Codger in Training
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:58 pm
These inline quotes seem to be jammin me up lately.. the first line was meant to read "Honestly, I think the best thing you could do is go the independent route". Somehow it got truncated and moved to the top?houtenziel wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:38 am Honestly, I think the best thing you could do is go the indI am no businessman, but from a practical perspective I would consider going the route that a lot of the other up and coming pipe makers have gone, and sell your pipes yourself online.Bjensen1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:03 pm Hello all,
I have recently joined the forum and have been enjoying everyone's enthusiasm. I'm a pipe carver based out of Chicago, and I was hoping I could pick all of your brains a bit about where I should try to find more customers (also, apologies if this is the wrong forum for this question). The man I've been learning from is Alex Florov, and while he is a fantastic teacher, his pipes can sell for over $2000, placing his market and client base well beyond where I currently am. I have sold pipes at the last Chicago show, which was fun, but only comes once a year.
I have, through my teacher, some connections with high end, collectors market dealers, and while they helped me appraise my pipes, they won't buy any until I have made more of a name for myself, which means selling more pipes, and I simply don't have the connections to sell more entry level pipes. My price ranges from $300-500, and I know that's not within everyone's price range, so I'm not trying to hound you all to drop everything and buy them. I guess what I am asking is for advice on where I might be able to find customers as I wait for next years Chicago show? I'll attach a few images of my work for reference, and if you want to see everything my Instagram is "jensenpipes"
Thank you all for reading this whale of a post, and for any advice you may have.
Either through your own site, or through a service like Etsy(or both!). This will at least get you some visibility, and get your pipes in the hands of people who can rave about your good work.
It might not hurt to check out some other pipe maker's sites and see what they are doing to move their stuff. Just as an example - https://www.owlpipes.com/
From what I have observed, he moved his own pipes for a long time(and apparently still does), and then a while back I noticed that tobaccopipes.com picked up his stuff. They seem to sell pretty rapidly too.
“To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
― Theodore Roosevelt
- Houtenziel
- Codger in Training
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:58 pm