This last week Sykes, Susan, Bill, Tracy, and I were away from the office and down in Orlando, Florida on account of the 80th annual IPCPR show. This was my first time in the Sunshine State and indeed it lived up to its reputation as being a very warm and humid locale in the summer.

By and large this particular convention stays focused on the cigar side of the tobacco industry, and so naturally, we all ended up acquiring and smoking dozens of them during our seven day expedition. However, and perhaps needless to say, as our attraction ever is and ever will be smoking pipes of the highest quality, we did too obtain a bold and bountiful company of fresh new briar that’s sure to quickly trickle past the threshold of our site soon enough. We also picked up a handful of new accessories you’ll want to keep an eye out for during the next few weeks.

In the meantime, there’s plenty here already to keep you busy. To start, for the very first time at Smokingpipes.com we’re offering the work of up and comer Chris Asteriou, a young Grecian industrial designer-architect with a forte for pipe carving. Also up is new work from the talented Grego Lobnik and ever-popular Lasse Skovgaard. You’ll also find the latest from Randy Wiley, Claudio Cavicchi, Winslow, Ashton, L’Anatra, Nording, Savinelli, Peterson, and Stanwell. And what Thursday update is complete without a whopping 72 estate pipes to add to the fold? Oh and be sure to check out Cornell & Diehl's latest concoction, Guilford Flake!

Ted Swearingen: Vice President, General Manager