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Fred Bass Meerschaum Claw Heading My Way.

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anthonyrosenthal74

anthonyrosenthal74

Lifer
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
I look for meers online constantly, although I've only two in my entire collection of pipes. I just never get around to buying them. Also, I always look for new and or unsmoked meers as I'd much prefer to color a pipe on my own. As beautiful as some of these pre-smoked meers are, I just want to start with pure white meerschaum. But I saw this one, originally owned by Fred Bass, and I fell in love with it regardless. Mr. Bass certainly had a great eye for beautiful pipes. As you can see it's already taken on quite a bit of patina in the shank, and it's beginning to travel into the claw and talons, but the egg appears to so far still be quite untouched. So, as I said, I normally would have looked over this one, and there are other claw and egg meers to choose from, but this one spoke to me. I just really like the carving in this one, and that stem is lovely! So now I have to play the waiting game for a few days as I wait for it to be delivered. :puffy:
s-l1600.jpg


 
josephcross

josephcross

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 30, 2015
963
94
Wow! That is a great meer. Here I was thinking my PAD is going away and then I see something like that and now it’s back. Still that is a badass pipe!

 
anthonyrosenthal74

anthonyrosenthal74

Lifer
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Thanks all. I'm intending to smoke this one often and might get one of those meerschaum coloring bowls for it to speed up the process. I just don't know how to determine whether or not one would fit. I've not found any with measurements.

 
brian64

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,636
14,755
Great looking meer...and being one of Fred's makes it extra special. Congrats...enjoy.

 
metalheadycigarguy

metalheadycigarguy

Lifer
Apr 26, 2012
3,381
5,588
Washington State
Nice pick up Anthony. Fred had a nice collection, and I'm sure this one will be a nice pipe in your collection as well. As for a coloring bowl, I wouldn't bother. From what I've read, and from people that know more about meerschaum pipes more than me say they don't really work. Seem to be more of a gimmick then anything else. Save your money and put it towards another pipe or some tobacco. Just smoke the pipe and enjoy. It will color just fine on its own.

 
saltedplug

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,101
Very nice, carving, shank and stem. I'm old-fashioned on certain issues. I like vanilla ice cream and billiards. So this is just me, but did I still smoke, which I don't, and did I own a meerschaum when I smoked, which I didn't, I wouldn't speed up the coloring as it would violate my old-fashioned standard of coloring by smoking only, not coloring by an enhancement to the smoking to speed the process.
Absolutely nothing wrong with doing so; really just my rigid notions about some things.

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
Like metalhead and salted said, don't bother with the coloring bowl. I seem to recall reading, somewhere, that they are intended for new, pristine bowls where the virgin meer is exposed only to the smoke stream. (Maybe that's just meerschaum lore; but in any event, I think it would make for an awkward assembly.)
I had some limited outside contact with Fred, in email and in trading tobacco, and he seemed to have a lot of knowledge of Scottish blends. Maybe you can start with some of those to carry on the coloring of the meer. He took up a new meer knowing that the process would never be completed in one lifetime, and that he was not the owner so much as the steward of something that survives our passing. So carry on the legacy, confident that your pipe started its journey in the hands of one who treated it with proper care and respect.

 
npod

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
Great classic claw meer! Will you smoke it inside or outdoors? I think meers really shine when smoked inside in a comfy chair.

 
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