NY Show Report 3-13-10

Brothers of Briar

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Dock

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Old friend Dick Morse once said, "there's nothing like a pipe show". How true. I met up with friend and fellow SHPC and BoB's member Andy Camire at Rein's Deli in Vernon Ct. on Friday morning. After breakfast we proceeded down to the Wyndham. For once there was plenty of parking there and the rains had yet to begin their assault on New Jersey. We checked in and were overjoyed to find that our reservations had indeed been kept and that we were able to get rooms early.

After chilling out a bit I headed down to Andy's room. He's been settling the estate for the SHPC's longtime President Don Powers who had 400-500 pipes in his collection. Two really caught my eye. One was a flawless crossgrained Larsen Select and the other a Larsen Pearl with very strange boxwood inserts on the bowl. I'm conviced it was made by Tonni Nielsen sometime in the 80's. A deal was quickly worked out and I had made my first purchases of the show. A time later I ran into my buddy Mel Feldman of The Smoker in Albaby,NY. Mel's been liquidating his wares for retirement and brought with him two foot lockers full of aged tobacco and about 1,000 high grade pipes. I bought a ton of MacBaren's, Edgeworth, Dobie's and others from him as well as a super Castello Lovat and a big Mike Frey freehand with exceptional straight grain for a very good price.

In leaving Mel's I ran into friend and show organizer Sammy Barnett. I did'nt know it then but this meeting was to change the course of my show in amazing ways. Sam had brought with him quite a few pieces for sale and was gracious enough to give me the first viewing. As he pulled them out of his bag I layed each on the desk in his room. Several caught my eye including a nice Jack Howell clam, a Jody Davis blasted lovat, a Premal Chedda basted bent poker and a killer Tonni. The one I'd see next nearly made my head spin. Out of the bag came THE Nanna Ivarsson bent blasted egg that I've been after forever. The dream pipe! It was love at first sight I gotta tell you. A deal was QUICKLY worked out for the Howell, the Davis and the Nanna. From Sam's I went next door to see two of my favorite folks in the world Jay and Louise Jones of Ohio. It's always nice seeing them and I really appreciate the fact that they never miss a NY show. I wish all vendors showed this same loyalty! Jay was kind enough to bring me a bunch of Dunhill newsletters for my ephemera collection.

Shortly thereafter about 20 of us attended dinner in the hotel's restaurant. It was great just talking to friends and checking up on their activities A few of us made plans to meet up later that night. We checked out the various open rooms and what was for sale. At about 10:00 pm I got a text from Brother Frost saying that he had got to town. I gave him my room number and he came down to visit for a bit. A few mins into our visit the flood gates opened and nearly everyone staying in the hotel was in my room smoking and talking. Robert Lawing came in and shot the breeze only to be followed by old friend collector Neill Roan. It was almost surreal to me. A great time indeed. My good friend Ron Colter also showed up. He checked out my newly aquired Jody Davis with considerable intrest. He confided to me that he REALLY wanted the pipe. I know how it is to feel that you've lost out on something like this. It can really ruin your show. A deal was worked out and Ron got the pipe. I had owned it for less than two hours but pipes are pipes and friends are friends and one just carries more clout than the other!

The next morning I woke up at the crack of dawn to have breakfast with Mel and set up his four tables in the hall. We were in the doors at 8:00 and man was it hot! Someone had let the heat crank ALL night long. Uggghhh. After helping Mel I went around visiting with everyone as they set up. I was first to see Robert Lawing's stock and fell in love with a little Jess blast which I quickly bought. Robert and I also worked out a deal for my recently aquired Howell clam. In looking at it the pipe was just TOO similar to another Howell clam which I already owned. We made a deal for a sick little Scott Anderson tomato and a clean Stanwell bamboo bent. I had never heard of Anderson pipes before but was amazed at the quality. He's a very small production maker who concentrates on nosewarmers. His commissions can take years and he'll only bring a few pipes to a show with for sale. I'm thrilled to Have bought it. Robert is every bit the gentleman I thought he's be. A nicer guy you'd not soon meet.

Most of my day was spent helping Mel with sales and visting with fellow BoB's board members and friends. Got a chance to meet Dover pipes, Rugby and Scott. Good dudes all of em'! I also got quite an education about Comoy Blue Ribands from buddy Neill Roan who is simply "passionate" about these old pipes. He also showed me what I believe to be the finest Cornelius Manz ever made among other straightgrained wood that would make a grown man cry. Neill has an amazing eye folks. I truly enjoyed his company throughout the show.

Later that day I was making the rounds and found a fella selling McCranie's Red Ribbon and Red Flake at $10.00 per tin and bought them all! These sell for at least $30.00-$50.00 per tin everywhere! Another fella was selling an 8 oz bag of Penzance for $20.00 and two OLD production tins for $8.00 ea. Bought these two. Jay Jones sold me an awesome Peter Stokkebye advertising piece as well as an unused in the box Dunhill leather journal from "84". There was other stuff bought and other folks talked to but this was the gist of it. For me it was a great show all the way around! Hanging out with friends and buying pipes! What's better?

At about 3:00 Andy and I headed back. The skys were pouring and the wind was howling! It took us four hours to make a run that should have taken less than three! Still we chatted and passed the time and ate at good old Rein's again. It was a great as usuual.

I think the best news of all is that due to very GOOD walk in traffic and vendor support there will be a NY show in December! Thanks to all that came! It wouldn't have been the same without ya!
 
My God, man. I appear in 2 of the photos!!! Don't you realize that I am in the U.S. Government's Witness Protection Program!?!?! The Feds will be livid !!!!

(Thanks for the photos!)
 
Justpipes":e3l70v4e said:
Is there reasoning behind a lot of the photos featuring the good looking brunette in jeans? :lol: :lol: :lol:
You've got better eyes than I have. I never saw a photo of her face. :lol!:

Thanks for the link and review Dock!

Jim
 
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