305. My 1990 Peterson Patent Commemorative & Some Notes About Refurbishment
by Gary Hamilton, CPG So, this all started at the 2022 Chicagoland Pipe Collectors show, and I’m sure that my smile tells the story of “my find”! No, I didn’t go to the show with the express intent of finding this particular pipe, I was just thankful that we finally had a show to go to, and I was going! No other expectations than that. I was hopeful of finding a unique or vintage collectible Peterson (uh, aren’t they all collectible?) and that happened Friday morning at the pre-show “Smoke & Swap” out in the tent. I say it happened in the morning, but I didn’t actually make the purchase until later that afternoon. When I first eyed the pipe, I’m sure my head shook in slight disbelief, grasping with the thought that I was holding an authentic Patent-era Pete. But clarity quickly set in as I came to the realization that this was in fact the 1990 Patent System Commemorative pipe (I’m sure at first glance this pipe has possibly fooled others as well). None the less, still a unique and collectible Peterson. The vendor and I traded comments and pleasantries regarding the pipe, but alas, I set it down and continued to peruse the offerings of other vendors. After all, it was only early morning and there was still a lot to see at the pre-show event. I have no idea how many times I returned to view that Commemorative “Pete,” and the vendor got a great kick out of it and was contemplating charging me “viewing rights” for any subsequent showings. We finally agreed upon a price, and I had a new to me “Pete” for the collection! Mark noted this as my “Unicorn Pipe.” Perhaps this is so, but to me it’s just another “favorite.” Ask my wife about my favorite pipe, and she will be quick to tell you all of his pipes are favorites. This one just happens to be my favorite from the 2022 CPCC show. Now, on to the details! The Initial Assessment Once home from the show, the pipe sat on my workbench as I contemplated what, if anything, I should do other than a good clean and sanitize prior to firing up that first bowl. Perhaps a pass across the buffing wheels to remove a bit of stem oxidation. I inspected the pipe and overall, it was in good condition for having been previously smoked. A few slight rim dings, but nothing major. Fortunately, no exorcism was required to remove any unwanted ghosting, and the bowl had a pleasant “pipey” aroma to it. As Mark Irwin commented in a prior post, the pipe does have some incredible grain. Unfortunately, my photography skills are somewhat lacking in highlighting the grain detail. I’m sure it’s my antiquated camera and not me, right? Even though the bowl had a pleasing aroma, the cake build up was a bit uneven. I decided that I’d go ahead and clean up the bowl cake with…