Turkish Block Meerschaum has been renowned since the 1600s as the incomparable material for the world's finest smoking pipes. Meerschaum is lightweight, incombustible and very porous. It gives the truest taste of your tobacco, while providing a cool dry smoke.
How can you tell real meerschaum?
Determining meerschaum pipe quality
The quality of meerschaum can be distinguished by testing its porosity. Rub a wet finger across the meerschaum, high quality meerschaum will absorb the moisture; low quality meerschaum will not.
What is meerschaum made from?
Meerschaum is composed of the fossilized shells of ancient sea life that collected and compressed over millions of years. Meerschaum has been used for pipe making since the early 1700s and instantly replaced clay pipes as the favorite smoking implement of the day.
How can you tell pressed meerschaum block?
Lick your finger, touch the inside of the (unsmoked) bowl. If it feels sticky, it's block. If it doesn't, it's pressed.
What is special about meerschaum pipe?
Meerschaum is one of the most naturally porous substances in the world, which makes it perfect for pipes as it absorbs the tars, oils, and nicotine in tobacco. This allows for a cool, dry smoke that most smokers would say is unparalleled.
28 related questions foundWhat is calcined meerschaum?
Calcined The term used from the later nineteenth century onwards for a varnish applied to the surface of a clay pipe to make it look like meerschaum. This was typically a light syrup colour when applied but could be darkened by heating.
Are all meerschaum pipes marked?
Some meerschaum pipe artisans were known to sign their creations with their marks or signatures carved into the pipe itself, but not all of them did.
Are meerschaum pipes valuable?
Museum-grade antique meerschaum pipes go for $2,000 to $10,000. Overall, high quality tobacco tins have appreciated more than 15 percent within the last 18 months, some selling for more than $1,000.
How often can you smoke a meerschaum pipe?
Smoke your meerschaum several times a day for about two weeks. Unlike a briar pipe, meerschaums do not need long periods of rest between smokes, and can safely be smoked multiple times in a day. Do, however, allow the pipe to cool between bowls.
What is a Sherlock Holmes pipe called?
According to the story, the pipe used by Sherlock Holmes is a Calabash pipe. Calabash pipe got the name from the gourds that create a famous shape and become popular in England post-Boer war. Calabash pipe made with meerschaum, a soft white mineral, the shape is bent downward curve to an upward bowl pipe.
Is meerschaum a clay?
Sepiolite, also known in English by the German name meerschaum (/ˈmɪərʃɔːm/ MEER-shawm, /-ʃəm/ -shəm; German: [ˈmeːɐ̯ʃaʊm] ( listen); meaning "sea foam"), is a soft white clay mineral, often used to make tobacco pipes (known as meerschaum pipes).
What does meerschaum feel like?
The actual material density of meerschaum feels something like a soapy light plastic, but is in fact the result of the fossilization of tiny sea creatures shells its hardness is ranked 2 on the mohs scale of mineral hardness. It has no distinct smell, and is generally identifiable as a white to cream colored material.
Does meerschaum have ghost?
They do not ghost. At all. Having said that, if you do not clean them (warm water under the tap and then allow to dry) you might get residual crud.
Is meerschaum better than Briar?
Furthermore, since meerschaum isn't combustible, it's more heat-resistant than briar, with less risk of burnout, and while the pale mineral is still porous and moisture absorbent, it requires less "rest time" than briar. For these reasons, meerschaum pipes can be smoked more rigorously than briar.
Does meerschaum get hot?
Meerschaum smokes cool and dry with a flavor unrivaled by any other pipe. As it ages, meerschaum colors a rich honey-brown, improving both in appearance and taste. Meerschaum Pipes - with a minimum of proper care - will last for a lifetime. They will not burn out as briars do.
Should you touch a meerschaum pipe?
Your Meerschaum pipe requires more careful handling than other pipes. Handle the pipe lightly to avoid rubbing off the wax and to prevent any dirt or oils that might be on your fingers from discoloring the pipe.
Are meerschaum pipes fragile?
Meerschaum pipes are very fragile, and this is due to their composition, primarily hydrated magnesium silicate.
Are old tobacco pipes worth anything?
A clean, well-made pipe in good condition nearly always has value, though markets can vary wildly by area. We've seen them sell for only $15, while others can go for upwards of $100. Still others, like a rare and pristine Dunhill can sell for thousands.
Why is it called a churchwarden pipe?
A churchwarden pipe is a tobacco pipe with a long stem. Some churchwarden pipes can be as long as 10 feet! Churchwarden pipes were reputedly named after churchwardens who used to put their pipes' long stem out of church windows so they could smoke in church.
How old is my clay pipe?
Clay pipe bowls can be dated with some certainty according to their shape, size and decoration, and with even more accuracy if they feature a maker's-mark on the 'heel', the protrusion under the bowl. The top pipe bowl above dates from 1640-60 while the one below is a fairly typical decorated one from 1780-1820.
How long does it take for a meerschaum pipe to change color?
A sample 'Coloring' regimen:
Smoke your meerschaum several times a day for about two weeks. Unlike a briar pipe, meerschaums do not need long periods of rest between smokes, and can safely be smoked multiple times in a day. Do, however, allow the pipe to cool between bowls.
How often should you rotate pipes?
Some folks prefer a seven-day rotation, setting aside one pipe to smoke for each day of the week. That works fine if all you smoke is one bowl a day but if you enjoy your pipe more often than that, then you should consider adding even more.
What does ghosting a pipe mean?
Ghosting is when the flavor of one blend sticks around in a pipe, infecting the next blend you smoke. Aromatics are somewhat notorious for ghosting, as the top note and casing often can stick around. Latakia and Perique are also strong flavored tobacco, so they can occasionally ghost a pipe.
How do you break in a meerschaum pipe?
There is no need to break in your new pipe. Unlike Briar, the natural mineral quality of Meerschaum needs no caking to enjoy the true taste of your favorite blend. Fill it gradually, remember it only needs to be filled half way. Now your ready to light it so strike a match or flick a lighter and apply the flame.
