Any Body know about Pioneer Block Meerschaums ?

[easydraw]

I have a Pioneer block Meerschaum,
Just wondering if these meershaum pipes were, Good - Fair - Bad. I think its from the 50s late 60s time period. I was able to look at some catalogs from that time from Pioneer and compaired there ensigna to correctly identify the maker, but my pipe wasnt in it. It is stamped Block Meerschaum on the right side of the pipe. Its not white its painted to look like wood, and I thought it actualy was wood. No scratches, dings or dents in it. I havent been able to find anything much in the way of reviews on them. So im hoping some one out there might know alittle about them and school me up to speed. Ill try and get some pics attached when I can.
Thanks Guys.

 

[captainsousie]

Here's a link from this site. Click Me
I love my Pioneer and have found only a little information about them. They were done in the same factory as the African Meers done for Manxman. That's about it.

 

[easydraw]

Thanks Captain,
I looked at that link as well, and thats about all the info I can find on them to.

 

[papipeguy]

Here are 2 of my Pioneer meers. I rarely smoke them but they are OK. The black one handles flakes pretty well.

 

[docwatson]

Pioneer made the Calabash gourd pipe with both meerschaum bowls and ceramic/porcelain bowls. I have both and amazingly they are both fine smokes. They used to be my pipe of choice many many years ago while watching Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in the Sherlock Holes episodes very late on Satirday nights. Good memories, good pipes.

 

[easydraw]

Thanks guys,
Its a good looking pipe that I have, and it smokes better than the other couple pipes ive been trying out. Ill keep buffing away on it then.

 

[reichenbach]

Are these the kind of meers that you don't want cake in or is that all meers? I also have one and I would like to love it up a little bit. Thanks for starting this thread, easydraw. I've wanted to ask about this for a while and I can never remember to do it!

 

[papipeguy]

My calabash does not have any cake and the black one above has a very thin cake. I don't know if this is the practice of others but it seems to works for these pipes.

 

[docwatson]

You do not want to build any cake in a meer. First off, meerschaum is a brittle substance once carved and dried and any cake which could cause expansion would be detrimental to cracking the bowl. Secondly, your meer will color nicely and much quicker being a porous material. IMO that should be the practice for all meerschaum bowls.

 

[zanthal]

only thing I really know about different meerschaums is that Turkish meerschaum is supposed to be the best.

 

[reichenbach]

Thanks for the info, doc. Mine is black already so no need to worry about the color. When I received it (rather inherited it) it already had a thin cake in it. I've only smoked it around three times since it came into my possession so I know that it isn't from my own ignorance.
Next step, how do I get the cake out? I'll try dry paper towels if no one as any other idea and from now on I'll be very sure to wipe the bowl out when I have occassion to smoke it. Thanks!