Chicago Show

[LexKY_Pipe]

Had to miss the Chicago show . . . again. Any reports from anyone?

[e Markle]

It was great! My first time there, and I'll definitely be back. The only real drawback was that "Rad" Davis guy...

FYI for my fellow amateurs, if you ever want to feel that your pipes are highly inadequate, just get a table right next to Todd Johnson, Adam Davidson and John Crosby. The contrast is striking.

[RadDavis]

I had the best show I've ever had, and I didn't sell one pipe to the "Big Time Chinese Buyers".

Ernie Markle is a pipe maker to be avoided at all costs.

Rad

[e Markle]

Ernie Markle is a pipe maker to be avoided at all costs.

Well, that probably IS true, but here's to hopin' you take your own advice next year!

[TimGeorge]

Those of us who did not make it have been perusing some photos, and I have to say that some of you guys look nothing at all like I had pictured:

http://www.apassionforpipes.com/2010-chicago-pipe-show/

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23184031

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23184134

Pipes look pretty good too ....

[m.c.]

I had the best show I've ever had, and I didn't sell one pipe to the "Big Time Chinese Buyers".

...

That's exactly the reason I would never consider going pro even if (with remote possibility) I could make pipes as good as yours or the Danish giants'. Luckily enough you're an American carver. If anyone here really wants to capture those guys whose purses have disproportionately outgrown their discernment, some big guys on this forum gotta amend the sticky Pipe Alchemy to include some super secret formalae of personal cult cultivation.

[RadDavis]

I had the best show I've ever had, and I didn't sell one pipe to the "Big Time Chinese Buyers".

...

That's exactly the reason I would never consider going pro even if (with remote possibility) I could make pipes as good as yours or the Danish giants'.

You wouldn't consider going pro, because I had a great show and didn't sell any pipes to the Chinese?

I don't understand this reasoning at all.

Rad

[Tyler]

I had the best show I've ever had, and I didn't sell one pipe to the "Big Time Chinese Buyers".

...

That's exactly the reason I would never consider going pro even if (with remote possibility) I could make pipes as good as yours or the Danish giants'.

You wouldn't consider going pro, because I had a great show and didn't sell any pipes to the Chinese?

I don't understand this reasoning at all.

Rad

I can't believe you don't understand. I quit selling pipes when you started having good shows. Family-shmamily. The moment I realized you were going to sell lots of pipes to non-Chinese people, I knew it was time to hang it up.

[m.c.]

...I don't understand this reasoning at all...

Well, maybe I didn't make it clear. It has nothing to do with the good show part. My point is it's pretty hard to attract most Chinese customers unless the maker has a real big name, and I'm a Chinese in China, where the pipesphere is filled with misinformation and fanatic following of the titans, and anything else gets the short shrift. Anyone going pro as a small-time carver is bound to be a starving artist. (My post was meant to be a half joke.) Now I guess my message gets across, although Tyler has made it more messy for me to make sense of the whole picture.

[Tyler]

.<snip> although Tyler has made it more messy for me to make sense of the whole picture.

I'm just doing what I can.

[RadDavis]

.<snip> although Tyler has made it more messy for me to make sense of the whole picture.

I'm just doing what I can.

Attaboy, Tyler!

m.c., I didn't realize you were in China. The Chinese guys from Bejing looked at my pipes and told me I needed to develop a style of my own (and quit copying Poul Ilsted, the King of the Bulldogs), and that the higher the price, the easier it was to sell a pipe in their store.

I pretty much figured that, A: They are ignorant, and B: It's all about status in their store.

I didn't stand a chance.

I do sell a few pipes to individuals in China, and they seem happy enough with them.

Rad

[m.c.]

...The Chinese guys from Bejing looked at my pipes and told me I needed to develop a style of my own (and quit copying Poul Ilsted, the King of the Bulldogs), and that the higher the price, the easier it was to sell a pipe in their store....

That's pretty much the issue. There are many arrogant guys who actually know not even a smattering about pipes and esthetics, although I don't deny them their business sense in terms of building cults and rooking in pipe-money at printing speed. I am not a pipe collector and can't be bothered to aspire to be a pipe expert on any brand, but even to my eye the style of your pipes is about the easiest to recognize. May I say, Danish pipes have a "national" style, whilst American pipes sport truly "individual" styles, and the latter is the most precious part of this craft if we don't want to see this trade wilt when all the currently roaring styles ebb into history. That said is nothing negative about the big-time masters, just a reminder that any vogue has a day when it loses the vitality, and I believe the turn for the pipe craft is not that distant.

[SimeonTurner]

I had the best show I've ever had, and I didn't sell one pipe to the "Big Time Chinese Buyers".
Rad

Hey now....I bought one of your pipes, and I'm like, 1/256th Chinese, and I'm pretty sure I'm BIG time.

Sorry to burst your bubble, Rad, but you sold out to the man without even realizing it.

[RadDavis]

Sorry to burst your bubble, Rad, but you sold out to the man without even realizing it.

Drat.

Rad

[staffwalker]

One of the Chinese buyers approached me in the tent on Friday night, looked at my pipes and offered to buy the entire inventory except for five which he said were too large to sell in China. The price he offered was 50% of my marked price. I'll admit to being tempted but turned him down in any case. bob gilbert

[caskwith]

I had a pretty good show, sold a few pipes, not a huge ammount but enough to cover the cost of the trip which is cool. Met some really great people and got to look at some awesome pipes.

Was sat behind Todd Johnson so had a little chat with him, nice guy but has no idea about pipes . Rad Davis came over as well but I didnt talk to him for long as he smells . Bruce weaver said hi but was far too well dressed to be talking to someone like myself. Oh and I had a long chat with Brad Pohlman about umbrellas.

E Markel was a really nice guy and shows some serious pipemaking talent, we had a good chat and i look forward to seeing him again next year. I also spent loads of time talking to Dirk Claessen who is not just a great pipe maker but is also really cool, shame he doesnt live closer, he is the kind of guy i would love to hang out with and talk pipes all day.

[LexKY_Pipe]

From what I've read here, sounds like Rad was the bane of Chicago this year.

[hlp808]

yeah, it was good seeing everyone again this year. Had a great time actually enjoying the show instead of spending most of the time at the table.

LOL. Ok, I'm not a big time pipe buyer, in fact I'm a pretty broke A@# person, but I am Chinese does that count Rad . Actually I gotta get one of your pipes one of these days.


Jaden