Turkish Meerschaum Pipe, c. 1950
non-smoked, may sell for $175.00
Meerschaum
A Gift From The Sea
by: Maureen Timm
As seen in The Antique -Shoppe Newspaper, July, 2005
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Meerschaum, literally translated from German means "sea foam." This name reflects its characteristics of lightness in weight and whiteness in color. It is one of the most porous substances found in nature, will not bum out, and is considered by pipe smokers as the perfect material for a cool, dry smoke.
Today, the highest quality meerschaum deposits are not found near any body of water, but are found in only one area of the world, the open plains of central Turkey surrounding the small city of Eskishehir. Meerschaum is mined wet from depths of up to 400 feet and is bought by carvers in various size blocks or lumps called stones, then hand carved into what many consider one of the finest smoking pipes available.
Early pipe carvers worked in porcelain, clay wood, ivory and other materials. If he carved meerschaum he would have special training on how to work with a lump of soft-paste meerschaum. The knife was the most important implement of the carver's bench tools and next in importance was the turning lathe. Using all the special tools of his trade the carver turned, cut, bored, polished, soaked in wax and tallow, repolished and carved this material and then fitted the finished pipe with an amber mouthpiece. Cutting, boring and finally polishing a meerschaum pipe were precise and intricate operations.
One source dates the word meerschaum to 1475, but the origin of meerschaum is shrouded in myth, mystery and make-believe. However, the early beginnings of the meerschaum trade show that soon after the Seven-Year War (1756-1763) RuWa was considered the first city in the Holy Roman Empire where meerschaum pipe bowls were manufactured. Around 1800 Ruhla was a meerschaum trade center with an estimated 150 carvers working in 27 factories making bowls that were supplied to other tradesmen who supplied stems and mouthpieces.
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Meerschaum was practically unknown in the United States until about 1850, but its popularity in Europe spread across the Atlantic and soon became popular in America.
Three prominent American Families were able to offer some information on meerschaum pipe making in the United States and research shows that William Demuth. (1835-1911), a native of Germany, entered the United States at the age of 16 as a penniless immigrant. After a series of odd jobs he found work as a clerk in the import business of a tobacco tradesman in New York City. In 1862 William established his own company. The William Demuth Company specialized in pipes, smoker's requisites, cigar-store Indians, canes and other carved objects.
The Demuth Company is probably well known for the famous trademark, WDC in an inverted equilateral triangle. William commissioned the figurative meerschaum Presidential series, 2? precision-carved likenesses of John Adams, the second president of the United States. (1797-1801) to Herbert Hoover, the 30th president (1929-1933), and "Columbus Landing in America," a 32-inch long centennial meerschaum masterpiece made in America that took two years to complete.
The Presidential series was the result of Demuth's friendship with President James A. Garfield, a connoisseur of meerschaum pipes. Demuth presented two pipes to Garfield at his inauguration in 1881, one in his likeness, the other in the likeness of the President's wife. Later, Demuth arranged for another figurative matching the others to be added to the collection as each new president acceded to the White House, terminating with President Hoover.
Jane Brennan, once the curator of the US Tobacco Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut provided a simple checklist to guide valuation of an antique meerschaum pipe: Is the pipe complete? Is the stem made of amber? How old is the pipe? What is the pipe's condition? What about the carving? What about the color? How big is the pipe?
The best way to evaluate the making of a meerschaum is to quote a craftsman who began carving in the 1880s and whose interview was published on July 30, 1938 in the Vienna, Austria newspaper. He told the reporter: "There were pipe-carvers and pipe-makers and that the difference in quality between their work approximated pretty well to that between Michelangelo's and a house painters."
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The prerequisites for pipe collecting are persistence, diligence, commitment, networking, timing, lots of luck and extra income. Visit the local antique markets, flea markets and auction houses. Subscribe to magazines and trade papers specializing in antiques.
Fake Meerschaums - About 200 years ago, pressed, chip or imitation pipes and holders were produced, advertised and sold as such, and distinguishable from those made of block meerschaum. Around 1900 and until about 1930, mail-order houses, such as Montgomery-Ward, Sears-Roebuck, and the Hudson's Bay Company offered not only genuine block meerschaums, but also "imitation" and "second-quality" meerschaums, carved and plain, at a cost of between $1.95 and $4.95. The majority of these "imitations" were pressed meerschaum lap-style pipes with cherry wood stems and horn mouthpieces.
Be on the lookout for pseudo-antique meerschaum pipes appearing on the auction block and at antique shows in Europe and the United States. These fakes, or forgeries are cast of an epoxy resin. Look for a vertical seam on the bowl,' indicating that the pipe was cast in a mold, and the incised scripted signature on the mouthpiece of Gustave A. Fischer, who never signed his pipes.
Pipe Making Today - The first step is for the craftsmen to select only the stones which he feels to be of the finest quality based upon size of the stone, density, color and homogeneity. The carvers then transform this block of raw stone, using the same hand carving techniques which have been handed down from generation to generation, into various styles of pipes from the elegant smooth shapes, to intricately carved designs.
The final process in crafting a meerschaum pipe is drying out excess moisture, fitting it with a custom stern, dipping it in a coating of special protective wax; and then polishing. As long as your hands are not greasy or dirty, touch your pipe, hold it proudly. It has been carved for you to enjoy its coolness of smoke and pride of ownership.
Coloring - Because of its natural porous nature, solid block meerschaum's most fascinating characteristic is its process of gradually changing colors from white to a golden deep cherry red or brown. Since each stone is unique unto itself, each pipe will color at various speeds and shades. Some factors affecting this colorization vary from your particular smoking habits; different types of tobacco, to the amount of time you smoke your pipe.
Care - There are many misconceptions surrounding meerschaum pipes.
Remember, just as no two pipes are exactly the same, no two pipe smokers are exactly the same. Don't be afraid to hold and handle your meerschaum pipe. Smoking your pipe is a traditional pleasure and watching it color adds to your enjoyment. If your pipe becomes soiled or dirty, use cotton or a soft cloth with just a drop of after shave lotion or similar product containing a slight amount of clear alcohol and gently wipe it clean when the pipe is cool.
Breaking in - No need to break in your new pipe. Meerschaum needs no caking to enjoy the true, pure taste of your favorite blend. Use a pipe cleaner when cleaning the inside stem.
For hundreds of years, meerschaum pipes have been known as the ultimate pipe for enjoying the pleasures of smoking. Because each meerschaum pipe is a hand-crafted work of art passed on from generation to generation giving each a special pride of ownership.
If you have any questions, you can Email us at antshoppe@aol.com
The Antique Shoppe
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