@jfreedy That is a bummer. Sorry you can't make it. @thebadgerpiper Hope to see you again this year. @daveinlax I will keep a look out, I will be one of the bearded guys. LOL. Just kidding but i usually walk around with my wife so if ya see me say hello.
Benn a busy week with set up and take down of equipment for pipe making seminar, a couple of the students made some outstanding pipes.
Several of the more famous pipe makers drop by for moral support and a couple made pipes for the silent auction.
Had a great time this evening with an eclectic group of people from around the world.
Unbeknownst to me there is a ladies pipe club that meets each year at this event, they have several names but the one I remember is The Pipe Tarts--- picture included. they were all smoking pipes before I took the picture, The place where the picture was taken is a story by its self
There is so much more to say but I have to be there in the early am,
Some vintage tobacco we smoked from the 50s with a coupon inside that got you a free pipe if you mailed it in, the tobacco was surprisingly excellent
I wasn't able to stay long at the pipe show this year. Made it on Saturday with only two hours to spare for the main hall. Thankfully, I was able to find more than what I wanted in that time. It wasn't easy, though. There's so much to see in the main hall, even if you have multiple days. Picked up two great Savinelli estates, and some tins I've been interested in.
Sorry I missed chatting with you all. I plan on making more time for next year.
17 C&D Red Carpet 32 Lane PS Luxury Navy Flake 44 John Cotton Double Pressed VA Pipes & Cigars ** Winner of contest ** 56 Mississippi River Seattle Pipe Club 64 Crumple Cake Red Virginia Sutliff
There were one or two more than usual Meerschaum pipe merchants this year at the Chicago pipe show, so if you were looking for one, this was the place to be.
The variety was incredible.
The only pipe I bought this year was a meerschaum, well actually I ordered it, was at the end of the show and the guy said 200 and as I started to walk away he said 150 and as I continued to fad back he said your killing me 125, so I went for it. Its just a large bent apple but I wanted a different stem.
The slow smoke contest was fun as always, I placed 22nd out of 75 with a a time of 51 minutes.
The winner was a Ukrainian fellow, part of the Russian team, his time was 91 minutes out of 3 grams of tobacco, amazing. Must have eaten a lot of ash to get that good.
The pipes were very nice this year, they were Amorelli bulldog pipes that were created by lasering away material to leave a raised spider web like pattern. The briar is amazing light.
Even though I collect pipes I'm probably going to sell mine on e-bay as I am not to keen on straight pipes
@mapletopb I’m not a big fan of carved/rusticated pipes, or bulldogs, but that is a pretty cool pipe, unique carve. Was there an entry fee for the competition?
I didn't get much of a chance to look at the meer tables, but I saw that octopus one and almost took a picture of it. I'm glad you did and put it on here.
The entry fee for the slow smoke was $75 if you belonged to a UPCA pipe club. Otherwise, it was $85. You would have a hard time finding an Amorelli pipe for less than $200.
@Winton Thanks for the info. Do you know what the tobacco was? I was wanting to duplicate the tobacco and amount to give it a try solo at home sometime. The chance that I ever get anywhere near a "slow smoking" competition is nearly nil.
Sorry guys for not answering your questions and thanks Mr. Winton for picking up the slack.
I had a disk replaced in my neck and have been recovering.
I wanted to, and will present some further observations and insight into what it takes to do these shows, and some of the conversations I had with some of the leaders in the pipe tobacco industry.
Comments
32 Lane PS Luxury Navy Flake
44 John Cotton Double Pressed VA Pipes & Cigars ** Winner of contest **
56 Mississippi River Seattle Pipe Club
64 Crumple Cake Red Virginia Sutliff
What kind of tobacco was used for the competition?
I’m not a big fan of carved/rusticated pipes, or bulldogs, but that is a pretty cool pipe, unique carve. Was there an entry fee for the competition?
Thanks for the info. Do you know what the tobacco was? I was wanting to duplicate the tobacco and amount to give it a try solo at home sometime. The chance that I ever get anywhere near a "slow smoking" competition is nearly nil.
https://upca.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=90797&module_id=335975