My Chicago Wish List

It’s Thursday and in just short of a week, I head out for Rainbow City, AL. I’ll remain over night there and Mike McCain and I will head out for Chicago on that Thursday. As the show draws nearer, more and more, I spend my idle time thinking of the show and what surprises it may bring. Of course, if all I did was drive to Chicago and back with McCain and see a few buddies it would be worth the trip but still, in the back of my mind, I’m excited about the hunt for the perfect… pipe, accessory, or tobacco.

Then I start to create my Christmas….errr Chicago wish list. A really fine tamper is first on my list. I’ve used some nicely made and very functional tampers crafted in brass by Glenn Bethel but recently I read or re-read Fred Hanna’s article “The Hidden Benefits of the Expensive Pipe Tamper”. It has inspired me. So I am on the look out for a really nice tamper. I was going for two at the show but I was so lucky to see a really neat Castello Tamper on Ebay and picked it up. This is a very stylish and functional silver and briar tamper that they offered quite a few years ago. I snoozed and thought I had lost but lo and behold, I got lucky. so I am already way ahead on my tamper search. A really nice ivory one would be neat too. I’ve seen some on line but none that excite me. Maybe I’ll get lucky at the show.

Next on the list is some good tobacco. I’ve already got a big order in with PCCA and will get that sometime in early May. But I’m still going to try and get some of my other favorites at good show prices such as Samuel Gawith’s Squadron Leader. Also, I’ve got a friend who can’t make it to the show so I’m on a mission to score as many good tobacco samples as is humanly possible. As many vendors will let you have a free bowl of tobacco, I considered buying one of those huge Castello pipes Bob Hamlin has on Ebay. I can just see their eyes if I showed up with one of those and emptied half a tin in that monster. So good tobacco is on my list.

Finally, I come to pipes. Having such a focused collection, I am never optimistic about finding my pipes at a show. But when I do, it’s usually amazing. Last year it was the new FLAME pipe. A few years before I got a Castello 84 sitter. I don’t know what possibly could show up but I’m always surprised. Sometimes Castello has a new one and I get lucky. Sometimes I find one on a table but more often than not, someone will come out of nowhere and say, ‘hey, are you interested in this pipe?’ and then I’m in trouble. Yeah, hopefully I’ll get a big surprise this year.

I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything.. accessories, tobacco and pipes. But you know the truth, if I don’t buy a single thing, just seeing my friends makes this trip all worth while. We’ll miss you this year Bob!