What unusual [non coin] items have you seen at numismatic auctions? - Anything like this ?

1630Boston

A pipe engraved with the name of legendary collector Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. sold for $5,040 at Stack’s Bowers’ recent Baltimore Expo auction. Contemporary photographs show that he was a pipe aficionado.
All images courtesy of Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
.
Among the more unusual items to cross the auction block at recent major numismatics auctions was a simple wooden tobacco pipe.

The pipe itself wasn’t extraordinary, described as 6.75-inch American-made Kaywoodie Super Grain Silhouette briar pipe with the internal synchro stem filter and a flat bottom, stamped with the model number 5439. More interesting was that it was personalized, with the inscription LOUIS ELIASBERG / BALTIMORE neatly engraved on the sterling silver band encircling the mortise.

Stack’s Bowers offered the humble pipe in its May 29 Whitman Baltimore Expo auction, observing, “This particular pipe appears entirely functional with all components complete and in working condition. The bowl, with its attractive wood grain finish, is cracked a bit on the side nearest the stem, which is not at all unusual on a well-used pipe.”

Research on the model shows that the pipe was produced before 1936 and contemporary pictures of the well-heeled Baltimore collector show him as an enthusiastic smoker. It realized $5,040, many multiples of the $50, or so, that a typical personalized pipe might bring at a venue like an antique store.
the above from:
By Steve Roach , Coin World
Published: Jul 6, 2019, 9 AM

Catbert

Hansen bought that.

pruebas

@1630Boston said:

A pipe engraved with the name of legendary collector Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. sold for $5,040 at Stack’s Bowers’ recent Baltimore Expo auction. Contemporary photographs show that he was a pipe aficionado.
All images courtesy of Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
.
Among the more unusual items to cross the auction block at recent major numismatics auctions was a simple wooden tobacco pipe.

The pipe itself wasn’t extraordinary, described as 6.75-inch American-made Kaywoodie Super Grain Silhouette briar pipe with the internal synchro stem filter and a flat bottom, stamped with the model number 5439. More interesting was that it was personalized, with the inscription LOUIS ELIASBERG / BALTIMORE neatly engraved on the sterling silver band encircling the mortise.

Stack’s Bowers offered the humble pipe in its May 29 Whitman Baltimore Expo auction, observing, “This particular pipe appears entirely functional with all components complete and in working condition. The bowl, with its attractive wood grain finish, is cracked a bit on the side nearest the stem, which is not at all unusual on a well-used pipe.”

Research on the model shows that the pipe was produced before 1936 and contemporary pictures of the well-heeled Baltimore collector show him as an enthusiastic smoker. It realized $5,040, many multiples of the $50, or so, that a typical personalized pipe might bring at a venue like an antique store.
the above from:
By Steve Roach , Coin World
Published: Jul 6, 2019, 9 AM

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

Glen2022

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

PerryHall

@Glen2022 said:

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

For that kind of money, I'd rather have one of his coins rather than a smelly old pipe.

DelawareDoons

@PerryHall said:

@Glen2022 said:

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

For that kind of money, I'd rather have one of his coins rather than a smelly old pipe.

What if you already have a lot of his coins and basically infinite money, though?

ricko

Definitely not an item I would bid on. It certainly qualifies as an unusual item at a numismatic auction. Cheers, RickO

PerryHall

@DelawareDoons said:

@PerryHall said:

@Glen2022 said:

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

For that kind of money, I'd rather have one of his coins rather than a smelly old pipe.

What if you already have a lot of his coins and basically infinite money, though?

I still wouldn't want his pipe. How much would you bid for his toothbrush? Or his jockstrap?

Mr_Spud

Maybe that pipe is the secret reason many of the Eliasberg coins have that nice eye appealing original skin looking golden-brown toning 🤔

Nah, it couldn’t be 😉

DelawareDoons

@PerryHall said:

@DelawareDoons said:

@PerryHall said:

@Glen2022 said:

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

For that kind of money, I'd rather have one of his coins rather than a smelly old pipe.

What if you already have a lot of his coins and basically infinite money, though?

I still wouldn't want his pipe. How much would you bid for his toothbrush? Or his jockstrap?

Toothbrush - $15

Jockstrap - $35

Pretty sure I could flip them as long as they're engraved and/or monogrammed. Eliasberg definitely strikes me as the guy who has a monogrammed jockstrap too.

COCollector

That pipe likely has Eliasberg DNA -- which reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLRlZzHtWog

johnny9434

@Glen2022 said:

@pruebas said:

@1630Boston said:

Aren’t most smokers “enthusiastic?!”

But not for long as they soon will no longer be with us.

They'll quit sooner or later, just saying

dunkleosteus430

@Catbert said:
Hansen bought that.

I watched this video a few days ago-

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hansen Collection
https://youtu.be/I3CaNvMQjxA

Hansen was holding the pipe the entire time, and he starts talking about it at about 16:50.

No Headlights

Heritage had some $20 coin gold mint bags on auctions a few years ago. Pretty cool. But went for more than I wanted to pay

ChopmarkedTrades

Picked this up in Newman XI back in 2018. This is the original lot description.

1828 U.S. Passport of a Well-Traveled Man
Issued and Signed by Henry Clay

[Clay, Henry]. Original United States Passport Issued in 1828 by Henry Clay as Secretary of State. Single sheet of paper [48 by 40 cm], printed on one side with an engraved depiction of a heraldic eagle with the motto Nunc Sedera Ducit; engraved text below, filled in by hand. Issued to James Markoe on April 15, 1828, and signed H. Clay in ink. Markoe's travels were impressive and this passport is heavily used, with well over a dozen ink stamps of various governments, two wax seals (one broken), and extensive writing in a variety of languages. The document is missing a central portion (15 or 20 square centimeters) from where a wax seal broke and tore the underlying paper; several folds have been repaired with tape long ago. In worn condition, overall, but still quite impressive and bearing the signature of an important figure whose frequent runs for the U.S. presidency led to a number of political tokens being issued for or against him. The engraved eagle is wonderfully primitive and charming, and the extent of the markings is quite impressive.

jt88

This coin bag sold for $3480.

Anyone wants to buy my coin bag for $500?