All were there! That is what you usually read in gossip papers when a first performance of a new play or some gala dinner has taken place and all celebrities have been there. In our world of pipes, this statement was absolutely true when Tom Eltang opened his new workshop in Copenhagen.

We have earlier mentioned that Tom has been very busy fitting up a new workshop and last summer it was ready. On the 15th of August the official opening took place. When I arrived in the late afternoon I was welcomed by the most delicious scents. This time it was not the aroma of delicious tobacco that attracted me, but that of a barbecue. I had earlier in the day been visiting some other places in Denmark and was very hungry, always the best spice of all. In the yard outside the shop there was a barbecue where you could get almost anything you wanted to eat or drink. As I understood it, I was not the only one who enjoyed both the food and the drinks.

A lot of people had met in Charlottenlund this day, in fact there was so crowding that it was quite difficult to move around in the shop. It was not easy to get a full picture of it all, but I am really convinced about one thing – this is a spacious and very well functioning workshop (what else could be expected when a creative person like Tom has made it all), but it is also a very pleasant and comfortable place, not only for Tom but also for visitors.

A great attraction was the new 7-days-set which was now shown for the first time. This is the second set Tom has made this year; I can not figure how he finds the time. The set was on a rotating plate so that you could see all the pipes. The cover of this issue gives you an idea of how beautiful it is.

As I mentioned in the beginning all were there. I have never before seen so many pipemakers and other people in the business in the same place at the same time. This proves that there is a friendship among Danish pipemakers; they look upon each others rather as friends than as competitors. That is also my experience from many meetings with various pipemakers.

I was only there for a few hours in the afternoon, but as I later have heard the party went on till late in the evening. We must congratulate Tom to this very successful opening and, most of all, to his new workshop.

Jan Andersson