How To Tell If A Pipe is Clay Or Meer

[Dshift]

Probably the late 19th century. The earliest I currently have is an amber body, an amber stem and a meerschaum bowl. I think they have been offered ever since then in a wide variety of materials and styles.

Could you please show a photo? Is the amber clear or opaque?

 

[Dshift]

Probably the late 19th century. The earliest I currently have is an amber body, an amber stem and a meerschaum bowl. I think they have been offered ever since then in a wide variety of materials and styles.

Although most of those meers are usually dated at 1880-1910 , while doing research on mine, I found that the clear amber could potentially mean that the pipe was made a lot earlier than that. Because of the rarity and extreme difference in price, the clear amber was almost never used for pipe making, of course with some exceptions like private commission pipes for high society people or royalty. If this was not the case it could mean that the pipe was made as early as 1820-1860, or even earlier.
NOTE: These are very speculative research results, since documentation, on the subject, from that time period is almost non existent.

 

[xrundog]

Although most of those meers are usually dated at 1880-1910 , while doing research on mine, I found that the clear amber could potentially mean that the pipe was made a lot earlier than that. Because of the rarity and extreme difference in price, the clear amber was almost never used for pipe making, of course with some exceptions like private commission pipes for high society people or royalty. If this was not the case it could mean that the pipe was made as early as 1820-1860, or even earlier.
NOTE: These are very speculative research results, since documentation, on the subject, from that time period is almost non existent.

I am with you. I use late 19th century as an arbitrary time frame as documentation is lacking. It’s pretty thin from the early 20th as well. The pipe in question. It's a cased CPF.

 

[paulfg]

Peterson made LOADS of meerschaums. Mostly African block… And that is definitely not a clay.
View attachment 412784View attachment 412785View attachment 412786

1000% this

 

[Dshift]

I am with you. I use late 19th century as an arbitrary time frame as documentation is lacking. It’s pretty thin from the early 20th as well. The pipe in question. It's a cased CPF.

View attachment 413146

This is such a coincidence- I haven't heard of Colossus Pipe Company until 10 hours ago when I was asked to Identify a giant cased Meer pipe from them.
Is there any way of knowing it was made in the US or Vienna?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

This is such a coincidence- I haven't heard of Colossus Pipe Company until 10 hours ago when I was asked to Identify a giant cased Meer pipe from them. View attachment 413152View attachment 413153View attachment 413154
Is there any way of knowing it was made in the US or Vienna?

CPF specialized in producing meerschaums up until about 1910. It was most likely made in the U.S. but there is no way to be 100% sure.

 

[xrundog]

CPF specialized in producing meerschaums up until about 1910. It was most likely made in the U.S. but there is no way to be 100% sure.

I agree with Rusty. I know that meers were produced in quantity in the 19th century in this country from several sources. I suspect CPF got in on the action.