I recently bought an advertised "antique" meerschaum tobacco pipe on Ebay. I received it and was cleaning it and several things peaked my curiosity that makes me think I bought a weed pipe. Can y'all look at the pictures and let me know your opinions and any way to determine if it is real meerschaum? I don't smoke weed and have no criticisms of those who do, but I have seen and handled enough weed pipes to turn my head about the similarities to this advertised meerschaum. Although I have never seen a weed pipe made from what looks like plastic.
Here are my observations while cleaning it (for over an hour):
1) The interior of the tobacco bowl is amazingly small. Much like a weed pipe. I compared it to my other known real meerschaums and they are all larger.
2) The stem looks to be a nice amber acrylic stem. Too clean and undamaged to be very old.
3) The mortise (?) area where the stem is inserted has what looks to be a cork ring that appears to be the tightening device so the stem does not fall out. I've never seen this type of set-up on any of my other pipes.
4) The residue in the bowl and stem was very foul smelling and syrup-like. I scrubbed the hell out of the areas using several different tools, bristled pipe cleaners and Don Q151 Rum. Horribly dirty. Like a weed pipe.
5) The feel of the pipe is too smooth compared to my other meerschaums. The coloring is too even and the shine has that plastic look.
6) The carving is too precise in all the areas. Don't know how to describe this as it is subjective, but I have one or two very nicely carved meerschaums and they are not this precise and they are larger pipes with more area to work.
7) No markings anywhere on the pipe. This might be the one thing that leads me to think it is a real meerschaum.
I have not yet smoked the pipe because I really want to keep cleaning it. I guess I could take some sandpaper to the interior of the bowl and if it comes out chalky instead of plastic, I'll know?
If it is real meerschaum, it will be the nicest (but damn smallest) one I currently have, but I am not holding my breath. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title
Here are my observations while cleaning it (for over an hour):
1) The interior of the tobacco bowl is amazingly small. Much like a weed pipe. I compared it to my other known real meerschaums and they are all larger.
2) The stem looks to be a nice amber acrylic stem. Too clean and undamaged to be very old.
3) The mortise (?) area where the stem is inserted has what looks to be a cork ring that appears to be the tightening device so the stem does not fall out. I've never seen this type of set-up on any of my other pipes.
4) The residue in the bowl and stem was very foul smelling and syrup-like. I scrubbed the hell out of the areas using several different tools, bristled pipe cleaners and Don Q151 Rum. Horribly dirty. Like a weed pipe.
5) The feel of the pipe is too smooth compared to my other meerschaums. The coloring is too even and the shine has that plastic look.
6) The carving is too precise in all the areas. Don't know how to describe this as it is subjective, but I have one or two very nicely carved meerschaums and they are not this precise and they are larger pipes with more area to work.
7) No markings anywhere on the pipe. This might be the one thing that leads me to think it is a real meerschaum.
I have not yet smoked the pipe because I really want to keep cleaning it. I guess I could take some sandpaper to the interior of the bowl and if it comes out chalky instead of plastic, I'll know?
If it is real meerschaum, it will be the nicest (but damn smallest) one I currently have, but I am not holding my breath. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator: