Howdy Gang,
I just got back from another outstanding Greater Kansas City Pipe Show held at the Argosy Hotel & Casino. Great show starting with the Smoking Tent fellowship Friday night right through to the end of the show on Sunday with Chance Whittamore (of Great Estate Pipes fame) winning the North American Carvers 7-Day pipe set.
I had a great time visiting with everyone, including the members here who dropped by my table. I ran out of stock fast, selling 18 of the 22 pipes I brought to sell before lunchtime on Saturday. That gave me plenty of time to check out all the wood at all of the display tables (the exhibitor tables were sold out well in advance of the show).
Some quick highlights for me -
My collecting motif is American handmade natural or light tan blasts. I was quick to dispense with my cash on Saturday morning as the show wasn't an hour old before I made my first purchase - a Jesse Jones made Chheda in a thick bent apple shape with Cumberland stem. Somehow, I just knew it would be a great smoker and after having run a half dozen bowls through it, I know its a champ. Perfect drilling and the bowl never did get past the barely warm mode. Jessa can make a pipe!
Another forum member, Dave Peterson, did indeed have out his Castello display and every time I looked over at his table, people were there gawking, especially at his Epoca collection. When I finally saw an opening late in the day on Saturday, I went over to his table and was bedazzled. What a fantastic collection! Dave even had a hand out explaining the collection and each pipe. Truly one of the finest displays I have ever seen at a pipe show. It was right up there with Brian Levine's Disney Pipe Display at the KC Show about 10-years ago. I still remember that one and wish Brian would do that one again, although I can't imagine the kind of hours Brian and Dave must take to put together such outstanding displays.
The Saturday night dinner featured Rick Newcombe, who showed the same outstanding documentary on pipe smoking in the movies that he showed at Chicago. I could have watched it ten times over and never gotten bored. The only issue I had regarding the presentation was the fact that we couldn't smoke in the banquet room and that's exactly what everyone wanted to do about 10 minutes into the movie. Seeing some of those great actors of days gone bye truly enjoying smoking their pipes while acting was a sight to behold and made everyone in the room want to light up a pipe - even the few nonsmokers in attendance! And what was really special for me; the fact that Rick had invited me to have lunch with him earlier in the day and I don't think I even ate as I was mesmerized by him telling me the story of how his pipe smoking movie presentation evolved in his mind and then was put finally put together with the help of his brother who is a Hollywood film maker. No wonder the thing was done so professionally.
Another fellow forum member, Dan Coomer, is the Secretary/Treasurer of the KC Pipe Club, and he handles all of the details from A to Z with aplomb. Dan worked the entire time making sure everyone was properly taken care of. He even had scheduled pick-ups for every vendor who needed a ride to and from the airport. You sure don't get that kind of service anywhere else.
In closing this rather general report, I would highly recommend the KC Pipe Show as a "MUST" destination for any of you who might be interested in attending next year.
Regards to all,
I just got back from another outstanding Greater Kansas City Pipe Show held at the Argosy Hotel & Casino. Great show starting with the Smoking Tent fellowship Friday night right through to the end of the show on Sunday with Chance Whittamore (of Great Estate Pipes fame) winning the North American Carvers 7-Day pipe set.
I had a great time visiting with everyone, including the members here who dropped by my table. I ran out of stock fast, selling 18 of the 22 pipes I brought to sell before lunchtime on Saturday. That gave me plenty of time to check out all the wood at all of the display tables (the exhibitor tables were sold out well in advance of the show).
Some quick highlights for me -
My collecting motif is American handmade natural or light tan blasts. I was quick to dispense with my cash on Saturday morning as the show wasn't an hour old before I made my first purchase - a Jesse Jones made Chheda in a thick bent apple shape with Cumberland stem. Somehow, I just knew it would be a great smoker and after having run a half dozen bowls through it, I know its a champ. Perfect drilling and the bowl never did get past the barely warm mode. Jessa can make a pipe!
Another forum member, Dave Peterson, did indeed have out his Castello display and every time I looked over at his table, people were there gawking, especially at his Epoca collection. When I finally saw an opening late in the day on Saturday, I went over to his table and was bedazzled. What a fantastic collection! Dave even had a hand out explaining the collection and each pipe. Truly one of the finest displays I have ever seen at a pipe show. It was right up there with Brian Levine's Disney Pipe Display at the KC Show about 10-years ago. I still remember that one and wish Brian would do that one again, although I can't imagine the kind of hours Brian and Dave must take to put together such outstanding displays.
The Saturday night dinner featured Rick Newcombe, who showed the same outstanding documentary on pipe smoking in the movies that he showed at Chicago. I could have watched it ten times over and never gotten bored. The only issue I had regarding the presentation was the fact that we couldn't smoke in the banquet room and that's exactly what everyone wanted to do about 10 minutes into the movie. Seeing some of those great actors of days gone bye truly enjoying smoking their pipes while acting was a sight to behold and made everyone in the room want to light up a pipe - even the few nonsmokers in attendance! And what was really special for me; the fact that Rick had invited me to have lunch with him earlier in the day and I don't think I even ate as I was mesmerized by him telling me the story of how his pipe smoking movie presentation evolved in his mind and then was put finally put together with the help of his brother who is a Hollywood film maker. No wonder the thing was done so professionally.
Another fellow forum member, Dan Coomer, is the Secretary/Treasurer of the KC Pipe Club, and he handles all of the details from A to Z with aplomb. Dan worked the entire time making sure everyone was properly taken care of. He even had scheduled pick-ups for every vendor who needed a ride to and from the airport. You sure don't get that kind of service anywhere else.
In closing this rather general report, I would highly recommend the KC Pipe Show as a "MUST" destination for any of you who might be interested in attending next year.
Regards to all,
