From: ?????????????????? (John Ellis Perry Jr.)
Subject: Paul's Pipe Shop/Flint, MI

	I saw mention of Paul's Pipe Shop in Flint, Michigan, and was
reminded of my visit to it last summer.  I promised Mr. Spanioli to
write to you of his wonderful shop, and I now realize, with shame,
that I never did so.
	I first read of Paul's Pipe Shop and Pipe Hospital in this 
list.  I live in Ann Arbor, about 50 miles from Flint, and since I 
had heard of the pipe museum there, and never seen one, I decided to 
visit.
	I'm unfamiliar with Flint, so it took me a long time to wend my
way around Flint until I got to the downtown.  I haven't the foresight
to take directions... but finally I turned down a cobblestone street 
called Saginaw Street, and, quite by surprise, saw a sign: "Paul's
Pipe Shop and Pipe Hospital".  I wasn't sure I'd found the right place,
but I was ready for a stop, and so I went in.  It was the right place,
all right.
	The shop was empty except for an elderly man and what seemed to
be his assistant.  I browsed for a little while, then finally asked
the elderly man about his museum.
	"I'm Paul Spanioli," he introduced himself (the name meant
nothing to me), and I gave him my name.  It turns out you can't just 
traipse through the museum, you have to take the guided tour.
	Which he gave himself, for my exclusive benefit.
	I asked him about pipe smoking contests, and it was the right
question; he beamed, and explained that he was the world record holder
for world pipe smoking contests.  He proved it, too.  His museum
includes the pipes of all of the world record holders, and sure
enough, his name was under 6 of the pipes.  The first of his victories
was in 1951, the last in 1992.  He also designed the "official
tobacco", he told me.  He invented the concept of a contest to see how
long you can keep 3 grams of tobacco lit, using at most 2 matches.
	He showed me pictures and pipes used by Susan Hayworth, who
needed to smoke a pipe for a movie, and Harry S Truman, and many of
his personal star and long time friend, Mr. Charles S. Mott, auto 
executive and philanthropist, founder of the C S Mott Children's
Hospital, which is here in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan.
	He showed me a pipe made for him with a compass embedded "so I
wouldn't get lost", he said.  He had granite pipes, cherry,
sandalwood, clay, metal (ouch!) and of course briar and meershaum 
pipes.
	He has many carved pipes, one in the image of President Truman
that I remember.
	The guided tour is necessary.  His museum is not very organized;
it is packed far tighter than it deserves, with many of the best
displays in drawers.  There is nothing of security.  I would shudder
to think of people walking away with souvenirs, to later forget or
sell for low prices at garage sales.  Also, a personal guided tour
from such a knowledgeable and interesting pipe smoker is not to be
disdained!  I listened, spellbound as a child, to this man's
reminiscinces.  There was no fee, there were no souvenirs, he's
written no books (which disappointed me, as I couldn't even buy one
and ask for an autograph), just an amazing hour or so of a remarkable
education.  I'm sure he would have talked for much longer, but he is
an old man, and he was growing tired.
	Not too tired, though, he sent me to my car for my pipe, and
filled it for me, making sure I saw how he was doing it (little bit at
a time, tap and fill and tap and fill, then drill a hole through the
center with a pipe tool).  I bought a couple of half pounds of vanilla
blends (which were very good), thanked him sincerely, and departed.
	My apologies for not relating this earlier, when it was fresher
in my memory.  Instead I've relied on a few notes I took, and missed
much of what was so interesting about the tour.
	It was a wonderful experience.  If you are ever in Michigan, be
sure to stop by.  I will certainly return some day.

	I know the address is in the resource guide, but here it is again
just so you don't have to look it up:

	Paul's Pipe Shop and Pipe Hospital
	547 S. Saginaw St.
	Flint, MI 48502
	ph (313) 235-0581
-- 
John Ellis Perry, Jr. |  Internet: ??????????????????
                      |  UUCP    : ..!destroyer!netmeg!ohriman!jep


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