Does An Old Meerschaum Smoke Better?

loneredtree · Aug 13, 2013

I can buy this 1900, + or - 10 years, Meer and get a new stem made. The total cost would be $75. Maybe get the Ozone treatment too. Would a 100yr old meer smoke better than a new one? It would be an experience. Would you do it?

:crazy:

cortezattic · Aug 14, 2013

I don't like the look of that pipe. It doesn't seem to have colored very well.

It doesn't seem to have been smoked too much during its 100 yrs., otherwise it would be fully colored by now.

This leads to either of two conclusions: it doesn't smoke very well, and sat in the rack a lot; or, it is pressed meerschaum

and it won't color like block meerschaum. I think I would put that $75 + together with more cash and get a new pipe.

How can any used meerschaum deliver the pristine, clear smoking experience better than a new one?

philobeddoe · Aug 14, 2013

I agree with Cortez, I've never heard of Meerschsum "seasoning", I would guess that it would smoke worse than a new meer.

loneredtree · Aug 14, 2013

I was concerned about the lack of color also. There is a lot of cake that indicates much smoking. So, it may be a block meerschaum. I am not sure if they made block meer in the 1890s. Anyone know about that?

acme · Aug 14, 2013

I think that you should snap that up if your description is accurate.

Block meerschaum means it came out of the ground as a chuck - not scraps pressed (glued) into a usable stummel.

If it is really more than a hundred years old, doesn't that mean that the stem is amber?

If it is, and the only problem is its attachment, then I sure would not have a new stem made, but just cut a new thread in it and make a new connector. There are people who can do that.

If the button end of the stem is damaged, then it is a less attractive idea.

anthony

loneredtree · Aug 15, 2013

Correction: I meant to say it could be pressed meerschaum since it was not colored more.

Yes it is amber,I think. The button was chewed off which shortened it 1 ". A replacement would be lucite. The metal work looks to be brass. I was hoping that it would be gold or silver, oh well.

rcstan · Aug 15, 2013

My experience with buying old meers is that they were more abused than used and very hard to get "clean"; so like the others said: it will probably smoke poorly compared to a new meer. But it does look really cool.

cortezattic · Aug 15, 2013

a lot of cake that indicates much smoking

That may explain the lack of usual coloration.

It also indicates that the pipe was not cared for, since a cake should not be allowed to build up in a meer.

If you like "old-timey" stuff it might be worth a shot -- like Roth said, from a collector's point of view.

If you're expecting to make that pipe sing again, I'd think long and hard about throwin' good money after bad.

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