Hey community! Meerschaum pipes are a new experience for me; I've recently picked up two lovely examples. One is an older CAO Bekler. The simplicity and clean lines of the pipe appealed to me--though not too large, it has a deep bowl. It came in a form-fitting black case that keeps it safe and it's presently resting there now.
The second pipe I purchased from Altinok--a worry-free experience. The pipe pictured is exactly what I received. Additionally, it came with both the short blue and a long black churchwarden stem. Two cases shipped with the Altinok--the larger case holds the pipe & both stem options. The "small-pipe-only" case just houses the little version. Solid craftsmanship on all items. Claws and beasties are awesome, but I was attracted by the long, fern-like leaves (that make me think of unprocessed tobacco) and subtle floral elements on the pipe. And though your mileage may vary--that blue stem just put it over the top for me. I'm pretty excited to begin a break-in process--but must wait until Christmas, as this was an early holiday gift.
The second pipe I purchased from Altinok--a worry-free experience. The pipe pictured is exactly what I received. Additionally, it came with both the short blue and a long black churchwarden stem. Two cases shipped with the Altinok--the larger case holds the pipe & both stem options. The "small-pipe-only" case just houses the little version. Solid craftsmanship on all items. Claws and beasties are awesome, but I was attracted by the long, fern-like leaves (that make me think of unprocessed tobacco) and subtle floral elements on the pipe. And though your mileage may vary--that blue stem just put it over the top for me. I'm pretty excited to begin a break-in process--but must wait until Christmas, as this was an early holiday gift.