Meerschaum?

[buttah]

My father in law is giving me a few pipes he no longer uses to help get me started, he said they're meerschaum. The main one he described as Sherlock Holmes style(he bought it in the early mid 70's for about $50), when I looked up shelock holmes style meerschaums they all appeared to be wooden with a meerschaum insert. Does anyone here have Meerschaum pipes? I've tred googling but I can't find much on modern meerschaums everyone just talks about how they got started. I'm just curious as to how they compare to Briar.

[DBCcigar]

I have a really cool, hand-carved meerschaum pipe that I've had for a few years, but I have never smoked it. Meerschaum pipes are very cool-smoking pipe and they change colors after smoking it for a while. They are pretty delicate, too, so that is the main reason I have not smoked it. I know someone who has one that turned a brownish/purplish color.

[buttah]

I did read that DB. That they would turn brown with age.

[Bigfoot]

The Pipe you are describing is a Calabash pipe. I has a deep bend in the bit/shank and has a meershaum insert for the bowl. I could be wrong but a lot of manufactures are no longer making this style, the pipe is not made from briar, its usually made from Mahogany or another type of wood that I'm drawing a blank on.

Enjoy this pipe, they smoke extremely cool and smooth!!!

Here is a link to a pic, let me know if I have the right pipe in mind. http://www.meerschaumstore.com/meerschaum_calabash.htm

[buttah]

I haven't actually seen the pipe I'm getting from him yet, just going off his description but I'm pretty sure that is correct Bigfoot. If I understood everything correctly, I believe this particular pipe made from a gourd. Interesting first pipe eh?

[Bigfoot]

Gourd, thats it!! gourd is hard to get and is the main reason these pipes are no longer being made, or being made from Mahogany. Enjoy it once you get it!

[buttah]

Thanks man, I hope to! I'll post up pics when I get it.

[MaduroLvr-cl]

Sounds neat! Yes, please, post pics when you get it!

[buttah]

Originally Posted by MaduroLvr

Sounds neat! Yes, please, post pics when you get it!

Will DO

[Huskysibe]

Man what a cool gift, cant wait to see it. Congrats

[baba]

If you are going to smoke this pipe, and it is new, I understand that breaking it in is different than a bryer pipe.

[buttah]

Originally Posted by baba

If you are going to smoke this pipe, and it is new, I understand that breaking it in is different than a bryer pipe.

It isn't new its actually 30+ years old, though it hasn't been smoked but maybe 4 or 5 times since the early 80's

[SoTL1977]

I have a meerchaum, and it does smoke pretty cool as David mentioned. In my experience, they give you a purer flavour of the tobacco, just as clay pipes do (oh how I love clay, but it's soooo delicate). Congratz on the Calabash! I'm eagerly awaiting pics!

[buttah]

I'll try to get some pics up as soon as I can put my hands on the camera. But I took the pipe to the local B&M and the manager who's a pi[e smoker and collector advised me not to smoke out of it at least not regularly. According to him its quite valuable. Real african guard, real turkish block meerschaum and the age and condition in his opinion make it quite valuable he recommended I clean it up and put it in a case. I'll probabl bring it out for special occasions as I really like the look of it, but it is HUGE.