Chicago 2007 Show



The "Brotherhood Of  The Briar" met again
May 3 - 6, 2007

It was Frank Burla´s  39. Show -  and it was bigger and better then ever:
304 tables filled with stuff
117 pipe makers from all around the globe
exhibitors from 63 Nations

I brought a new Shooting Star from Germany to the show:
Rudi Apelt - an experienced German carver - who does not (yet) speak English.
He was the first time on the Chicago Show and I translated for him.
His pipes speak for themselves !
I am sure that he will play in the Top Ten league very soon.
All were very impressed by his pipes.
 
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 1. "Brotherhood Of  The Briar" is a registered trademark
and the shirts can be ordered in different colors and all sizes from Patrick Dennis.
2. From Frank Burla I got the plan of the mega center of the 2007 show.
3. Pheasant Run Resort - a great place: Pheasant Run Resort
4. Sunrise - a view from my room on the tenth floor
5. Information boards and the three elevators of the tower Friday morning
6. Patrick Dennis giving out numbers for the Pre-Show not to have such a chaos in front the New Orleans Ball Room before the doors are opened
 
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7. Rudi Apelt - Baiano Art & Design - arriving at O´Hara waiting for the transfer
A experienced German pipe maker - still pretty unknown - because he does not (yet) speak English. He comes from the ex DDR and lives south of Berlin.
16 years he designed pipes for a wellknown manufacturer - and now works on his own. I had him at my table and translated for him. All were very impressed by his pipes and I am sure that he will play in the Top Ten League soon.
8. - 9. Set up of the exhibitors on the Pre-Show Friday morning
10. The doors are open and the show begins
11. It´s me with Edward Lawing from the pipemakers forum
12. German pipemaker Jürgen Moritz with a pipe enthusiast at his table
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13. Rolf & Rudi at their table on the Pre- Show
14. Rudi showing his pipes
15. - 16. A view of the New Orleans Ballroom - Pre-Show on Friday
17. Rolf and Vernon Vig from New York - President of  UPCA - in the Bar
18. I meet Joe almost every year on the Chicago Show - and we always have fun
 
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19.Rolf & Rick Newcombe (Writer & Publisher of "In Search Of Pipe Dreams") President of  Creators Syndicate
20. Rudi has dinner Friday night and is happy that the Pre-Show is done
21. Big Boss Frank Burla at his table - it was his 39. Chicago Show !
22. Ken Lamb (right) Ken´s Website & his site Pipeshows in USA
23. Rolf & Rudi at their table in the Mega Center
24. I am happy that my friend Robert Vacher (halfmoonpipes) is home from Iraque
 
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25. - 26. A view across the tables of Michael J.Gibbs from Tobacco Barn
27. Maurizio at the table of Luigi Viprati
28. My friend Marty who attended my show in Cuxhaven 2004 and sitting Baldo Baldi
29. Margit from Bisgaard-Pipes Denmark at her table
30. Joel Shurtleff  from The Briar Pipe at his table
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31. Rudi at our table and next table the Pipe Magazine presenting their new program
32. All Americans love their Castellos
33. The Castello Top Seller with a customer
34. José Manuel Lopez - writer of "PIPES" and a Spanish pipemaker
35. Benni JØrgensen from Denmark and his wife
36. My friend Gunnar from Totemstar.Com
 
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37. Small talk after a hard show day until the early morning in the Bar
38. Teddy Knudsen, Rolf and Rudi at the bar (left to right)
39. Rolf with a group of American ladies
40. My friend Bill Ashton-Taylor
41. In Lily´s Bar we tought some ladies how to smoke a cigar
42. Small talk is important but having fun as well
 
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43. John helping out at Nils Thomsen´s table
44. Skip Elliott (excellent pipe maker) from thebriary.com with Bjarne
45. later
46. My friend Lee Von Erck at his table Lee Von Erck Pipes
47. - 48. The smoking contest and the trophies
 
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49. Just a few of 304 tables on the show
50. - 52. It was a great pleasure to me to talk to the people
who sit in power chairs and could also enjoy the show.
53. Game Over !
54. The stretchlimo taking us back to O´Hara Airport.
 

The show was over too fast - as always !

I was there for three reasons:

1. To introduce Rudi Apelt who carves under "Baiano Art"
to the International market.

2. To teach everybody about my eldercare program
and my coffee-shop for seniors in Germany,
and that I am from now on the
Institut of Geriatric Medizine And Gerontology in Germany.
I work on my website and once I bring it online the link will be:
www.institut-of-geriatric-medizine-and-gerontology. de

3. To ask my friends and pardners
if they all will come again when I call for another
European Pipe & Tobacco Show 2008.

It is it all it a hell of a work
and until now I do it all it alone again.
But if I get it arranged and organized the show will have a motto
and it will have a benefiz gala.
The motto will be :
Affordable mobility for disabled and seniors.

We will see what comes out in the end !

Last but not least:
A big THANK YOU to Frank Burla and his crew
for organizing this fantastic 2007 show.
Our rooms and tables are booked and reserved for the 2008 show.

God bless the "Brotherhood Of The Briar"