1894 Calabash Gourd Bowl Replacement

[onestop]

I have a Calabash Gourd pipe supposedly made in 1894 with a very badly damaged bowl insert. The top has a sterling silver cap which I've carefully removed and plan on rebuilding. But the bowl itself has no bottom and I'd like to rebuild and replace it. Everything I can find online seems to indicate that plaster /gypsum cement was used back in the day? I'm thinking I'm going to have to crush the remaining bowl and gently separate it from the gourd to then cast a new one. Anyone got any input on this?

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I have 5 calabashes but none are anywhere near as old as yours and they have removable bowls. I do have a Baki Edwardian style silver top but again it has a removable bowl. The only replacement bowls I know of are these on ebay but I don't know if they'd be any good to you. Obviously they'd need to be reshaped/sanded by yourself.
Hopefully someone who refurbishes pipes might have more of an idea how to help you, good luck with it anyway and I hope you can get the pipe back to its former glory.
Meerschaum Bowl For Calabash Or Gourd Block Meerschaum New Handmade #1287 | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/254394197685

 

[BROBS]

pics would really help a lot.

 

[onestop]

Here are some pics of the pipe in question. It looks as though someone had a go at trying to remove the bowl at some point in it's life...hence the reason I suspect I'll have to crush the existing pipe and sand down the rim of the gourd. I am also having trouble deciphering the markings on the silver band and top cap. Any help with those would be appreciated as well.

 

[onestop]

I have 5 calabashes but none are anywhere near as old as yours and they have removable bowls. I do have a Baki Edwardian style silver top but again it has a removable bowl. The only replacement bowls I know of are these on ebay but I don't know if they'd be any good to you. Obviously they'd need to be reshaped/sanded by yourself.
Hopefully someone who refurbishes pipes might have more of an idea how to help you, good luck with it anyway and I hope you can get the pipe back to its former glory.
Meerschaum Bowl For Calabash Or Gourd Block Meerschaum New Handmade #1287 | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/254394197685

I considered meerschaum, but I would have to do a hell of a lot of carving from the standard bowl to retrofit for this particular pipe. I have a sneaking suspicion this one was made from plaster

 

[BROBS]

I don’t think any of the bowl is actually still there? Is it?
How much extra space is there on the inside diameter of the silver cap when it’s in place?

I think it may be missing the bowl part completely. If that’s the case a Turkish carver should be able to match your needed dimensions.

 

[onestop]

Further research leads me to believe this is a Louis Adler or an Orlik

 

[onestop]

I don’t think any of the bowl is actually still there? Is it?
How much extra space is there on the inside diameter of the silver cap when it’s in place?

I think it may be missing the bowl part completely. If that’s the case a Turkish carver should be able to match your needed dimensions.

The bowl is still there as I've removed quite a bit of carbon from the side of the bowl..but the bottom is completely blown out. My current thought is to crush the bowl and remove it...while doing a sympathetic restoration on the finish and casting a new bowl with Hydrostone.

 

[onestop]

I will say this...it's definitely not meerschaum.

 

[condorlover1]

Careful with the insert since some of the Victorian ones were made from asbestos!

 

[onestop]

Careful with the insert since some of the Victorian ones were made from asbestos!

I appreciate the heads up...luckily I'll just be crushing and disposing of it in my workshop which has a positive air flow system.

 

[onestop]

Careful with the insert since some of the Victorian ones were made from asbestos!

I realize that a negative pressure environment would be better suited for a HAZMAT ACM