IMP Meerschaum Pipes Anyone?

When anyone asks how good are "so-and-so" pipes, I don't really know how someone else can answer other than saying "I have one and it's great, or it isn't". But what most folks don't realize is that "so-and-so" pipes aren't made by "so-and-so". Kinda like asking "What do you think of the trucks at Jo-Bob's Chevrolet Dealership?" The thing is, Jo-Bob didn't dig up the raw materials in the trucks, nor did he make the trucks. He just distributes them to the buyers. He may have some wonderful trucks made by fantastic craftsmen, but may have some real lemons too. I think the individual truck needs to inspected to see if it's any good or not.
Chacom Pipes are made by Chacom. Dunhill Pipes are made by Dunhill, but meerschaum pipes are distributed after the craftsman passes them on to the distributor. The craftsman may or may-not be contracted to work for that particular distributor exclusively.
I have to say that the meerschaum pipes of today are good pipes as a whole. They are made/carved in Turkey only (by Turkish law). They may be distributed from there or could be from here in the U.S. Just keep in mind, you get what you pay for. If you get a $35 pipe, don't expect much.

TopD has it right, in my opinion. He also has a pretty wide selection of meerschaum pipes, from what I remember.
Your best bet is probably looking at named carvers and deciding on which one you want. Many high grade carvers are probably less likely to use poor quality meerschaum.

What is a high grade carver? Well, you'd have to judge that yourself. Here's a good site that shows pipes by carvers. Other sites also distribute from the same carvers, so you can shop around for price. http://www.meerschaummarket.com/servlet/StoreFront

You can see work by name. I own an I. Baglan, and I have to say that his work is pretty impressive. The pictures online can induce the wow factor. Having one in your hand is something else entirely. Get a feel for meerschaum from that store and shop around. Myself, I probably won't buy another one unless I know who carved it. A company name isn't enough for me. That's not saying you won't find quality in a company name pipe, but having one from a carver you can actually name, for the same price range; that's worth paying for.

My experience with Meerschaums: each one unique - many variables. I think it is difficult to generalize based on "brand" though a little less difficult to generalize based on the craftsperson who actually carved the pipe. For example, I've probably had at least 30 CAO meerschaums over the years, some were terrific, others were barely smokable. I have one IMP meer I acquired more than 10 years ago, and I like it. IMP pipes have a good reputation. If I were to buy an IMP pipe today, I would want to know who the carver was, and do some homework. And to confuse the issue even more there are many, many dealers and distributors selling quality meerschaum pipes on the Internet. Always a good idea to do some research ... still, it may just come down to liking an unusual shaped pipe and taking a chance!

+1 w/TopD
I have two IMPs , very good/solid pipes - got them about 5yrs ago - paid

around $200/ea

you can get a Pete SH Meer for $300+/- depending on where you shop.. might as well get the best.

Quality ain't cheap, I have a large Baglan and it wasn't cheap, I"d rather have one Quality pipe as per haveing 3 or 4 so so, like the lady said That's the way it goes , first your money then your clothes . :laughat:

My vote for consistently top quality Meerchaums is the carver F. Baki. http://bestmeerschaums.homestead.com/bakipipes.html
And I agree with the Old Cajun, quality ain't cheap!

Ok... Not to hijack this thread. I have been looking for the right Meershaum and aside from one that I was able to handle at a B&M I may end up buying online.

I am wondering if a screw on stem is better or worse for a meershaum. The one I found at the B&M had a screw on stem. The pipe was marked Servi on the case, but no artist name on the pipe. Is Servi a distributor like IMP?

Thanks and again sorry for the hijack.
---> Jim

As long as Top has smoked and collected Meers, he would be the one to quiz, I would value his opinion. just forget he was a Jarhead. :laughat:

The nice things about IMP is the stems have the normal tenon, they are not screw in (at least the ones I have seen in the past). Air flow is better that way unless you like a restricted draw.
Make sure the fit/finish of the stem is good, the draft holes are aligned correctly, etc. in terms of construction.