Meerschaum...or Mere Scam?

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David_Lawrence

Might Stick Around
Sep 25, 2019
62
97
Yes, I smell a conspiracy, or more specifically some sort of plastic.

So I recently posted a question regarding my new (estate) meerschaum as the bowl, internally and externally, and every part of the pipe besides the mouthpiece smelled of something industrial and synthetic, not at all what I was expecting.

Members helpfully confirmed that this was not normal and so I wrote it off as an ill advised cleaning fluid applied thoroughly to 'restore' the already aged and parchment coloured pipe. Smoking it though, I didn't get any of the pure 'transparent' neutrality I'd heard about - it burned very well and stayed quite cool but there was nothing different about the smoke.

This may all be normal but I couldn't help but wonder if it really was meerschaum - specifically the 'genuine block meerschaum' its carvings purport. Of course, I have no idea what it should look, feel or taste like in the flesh but I'm strongly reminded of bakelite; even the black burn marks around the rim just look too uniform and like something that came off a factory line.

Here are the photos, though it really feels more inauthentic than it looks (hence the purchase!).

4293
4295
4296
4297
4298
4299

First three taken by me, latter three by the seller. My feeling is that none of the fishiness will come through in images alone but hopefully I'll have a better sense of what to look for after consulting you all.

Much appreciated,
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,260
108,365
Wipe the chamber out with a wet towel, allow to dry, and try sticking your tongue to the inside of the chamber. If it sticks, you've got block meer.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,080
Carmel Valley, CA
Did you wash the crap out of it- crap both as in stuff adhered to it, and as to very thoroughly? You can also soak it over night and see what color the water turns to. (It will gain quite a bit of weight, but will return to original after drying a few days.)
 
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David_Lawrence

Might Stick Around
Sep 25, 2019
62
97
Thanks for all those replies, clearly I came to the right place. Kiko it is then, and it didn't take me long to find photos of all its cousins. Now I know that it is indeed real meerschaum albeit not the fabled high grade Turkish block (and I knew that much from the photos, just wasn't aware of the difference and really should have done my homework).

I will leave it to soak and wash it as best I can, it's nice to know that I have a pipe that can no longer be mined and carved, and at £40 ($50) it's still much cheaper than the ones I'm seeing online, like this one for €130 (£115/$140).

I was going to purchase a brand new Turkish block meerschaum but settled for this when I saw a certain Ascorti Business pipe at a price I couldn't refuse. I think I'll open that package right now, and I'm certain I'll proudly own my own virgin meerschaum in the near future—half measures just play at my curiosity and I love the gradual colouration aspect.

All's well that ends reasonably well. Much appreciated.

kiko-amboseli-mod8-tanganijka-meerschaum.jpg

The €130 Kiko Amboseli as found on the Lanzola Pipe Shop's website
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I will leave it to soak and wash it as best I can, it's nice to know that I have a pipe that can no longer be mined and carved, and at £40 ($50) it's still much cheaper than the ones I'm seeing online, like this one for €130 (£115/$140).

I was going to purchase a brand new Turkish block meerschaum but settled
All's well that ends reasonably well. Much appreciated.

kiko-amboseli-mod8-tanganijka-meerschaum.jpg

The €130 Kiko Amboseli as found on the Lanzola Pipe Shop's website
supposedly they smoke the same they just color differently. By the way just buy the fabled meerschaum mine in Utah and start your own pipe business would be my unrealistic advice.
 

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,689
That is a Kiko meerschaum pipe, likely a Countryman.

I concur I have come across those Countryman pipes and the emblematic Elephant logo myself. I never bought one, for some reason I am not quite curious of Meerschaum from Tanganyka, as I believe it is the case with the Countryman pipes.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
My first Meerschaum was an estate generously sent by a late fellow member, a nice straight billiard with wine grape etchings on a simple bowl, what I would have bought myself. In buying a Meer, it seems to me you are in the hands of the seller, so I'd rather pay a little more and get something that is probably authentic and truly described than take pot shots at what I'd hope I'd get. Even buying from a reputable retailer, the original sources, materials, and details (about the stem mount etc.) seem to be sketchy with the best of retailers. I'm sure long-time Meerschaum smokers learn about all of this, one way or another, but it is more obscure than information about briar pipes and cobs, I feel. I'm not sure what you have there, but I share your uncertainty.
 
Tongue sticking works for new block Meerschaum. I have done it myself

I read somewhere that it will work for good quality pressed Meerschaum as well, so the test in inconclusive (I have not tested it myself, so I don’t know)

It does not work for a well smoked Meerschaum such as the one above. Also, you really need to be highly motivated to stick your tongue to a pipe bowl dirty with carbon
 

tg51

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 24, 2017
261
463
Fort Polk, LA
@cshubhra In the most non-stalker way possible, I have seen your posts on the "What are you smoking" thread and it seems like you have quite the extensive collection of Meers. I'm a pretty heavy handed person on account of the Ogre hands I have (pointed out to me by other members on one of my posts last week:ROFLMAO:). In your experience how fragile are they?
 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,700
16,209
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Meerschaum, the more delicate the carving the more fragile the pipe. By and large Turkish meers not carved in delicate shapes, seem to take a drop on carpet as good a briar. A drop onto concrete is a whole different matter. 60+ years of smoking meers, not exclusively but, most every night, I've pretty much designated meerschaum pipes as "indoor" smokes by and large. They don't go fishing with me, they don't go into the woods with the chainsaw and such. They do get smoked on the deck though.

I can't speak to African and man-made meer as I've never deigned to own one of such material.
 
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I have them for more that two years - when I started smoking. I took a long break from smoking, so all of them have been smoked for 7 or 8 months. They have survived newbie mistakes like overclocking the tenon, which I fixed. I have cleaned them with pipe cleaners soaked in alcohol, which they survived. So they are less fragile than people think they are

I handle them carefully though and keep them cased. I have not dropped them. I don’t think they will survive the drop.

Last ... I only have 4 Meerschaum pipes and a falcon with Meerschaum bowl. There are a lot of Meerschaum experts in this forum who have a huge collection (just they don’t show it that often) and have smoked them for many many years.
 
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