Collecting Pipe Dreams

Is any of that junk in your attic worth some money? How do you sort the trash from the treasure? CBS News Saturday Morning continues its series with collectibles expert Tony Hyman.

Used briars can be worth up to $300 apiece. (Briars are pipes made from the hard, woody root of a briar tree.)

If grandpa smoked so-called "drug store pipes" like Medico, Yello-bole or Dr. Grabow, you're out of luck. They have no collectible value. Neither do wooden pipes that have no manufacturer's name on them.

A few low-priced pipes like Kaywoodie and Wally Frank have sparked collector interest, but they frequently sell for under $10.

English brands like Dunhill, Comoy and Charatan, and Italian brands like Castello, Caminetto, Sasieni and Savinelli, get top money from pipe collectors, $50 to $300.

Pipes are made in more than 30 shapes and each has a different value. Every word, number and symbol on the shank is important. And, don't discount condition. Mouthpieces can be replaced but cracks, red fill or burn holes turn even the finest pipe into trash.

Go to Tony Hyman's Web site for more information on tobacco collectibles.

For more information on pipes, Tony Hyman recommends Frank Burla, curator of the Antique Pipe & Tobacciana Museum. His email address is fpburla@aol.com. Hyman also recommends tobacconist Marty Pulvers. His email address is priorbriar@aol.com.

Previous CBS News Saturday Morning segments are available in the collectibles archive.

Please note that because of the volume of mail received, Saturday Morning can't respond to all requests, but some will be selected and featured on the show in the near future.

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