Any Tips on Restoring a (Potentially) 100 Year Old Meerschaum?

[Rumple100]

As if by a miracle ... I was certain I'd never find it, but alas I did, and from an altogether distinct source which further corroborates the nomenclature.

The pipe is known as a 'knotted rigol'

View attachment 53528

Wow so glad you found it! The similarity in shape to the one I purchased is kind of uncanny, any idea when this ad was printed?

 

[Rumple100]

Now I see what ash refers to.

Lovely piece! Hope the tape removal is pleasant!

I truly hope so too, hopefully the flaw is with the stem and not the pipe itself

 

[Rumple100]

Condorlover! or Weezle would know. They remind me of an Irish Blackthorn sheleighly. The Meerschaum Store calls it a " thorn" design.

The first thing that popped into my head when I saw it was that it looked like something you'd pull up out of the ocean, but then my second thought was sheleighly

 

[condorlover1]

It is indeed a 'Knotted Rigol' which was representation of one of those late Victorian walking sticks. They were a very popular style as the spikes kept your figures away from the stem and are often found as a clay pipe made by the various British clay pipe makers like Gordon Pollock although I do not remember ever getting one in my monthly pipe quota back in the 1980s. I have owned one of these pipes myself in meerschaum which I sold to a fellow on this forum about five years ago who I think lived in Alaska. The amber stem had a rounded lip and they show up on Ebay quite often normally with buggered bone tenons and threaded shanks that have been worn smooth from over enthusiastic cleaning practices. Remove the tape and see what lies underneath. If it is cracked it will need an oval silver band and new bone tenon and faux amber stem. Look in the bowl to see if it has a restrictor in the base which will usually be a silver six pence with a few holes drilled in it. In terms of repair either send it to Briarville or Ian Walker of Northern Briars (www.northernbriars.co.uk email address info@northernbriars.co.uk) who will have it up and running in no time at all. A lovely pipe well worth getting restored and should smoke well. As an after thought did you get the case with the pipe? They were usually made either by the Parisian carves or the Austrian carves and then white labeled by the pipe retailer. Enjoy smoking it.

 

[condorlover1]

As an after thought I just noticed my typo in the last sentence. That should have read 'carvers' and not 'carves' which I can only put down to my new Mac.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It's a poor workman who blames his tools......

 

[condorlover1]

@jpmcwjr Very funny. A poor workman doesn't blame his tools he just uses them to beat to death the smart arse who makes said comments! I am still trying to program this piece of junk to speak English as opposed to the dialect spoken down here in the colonies! Mac would make a fortune if they would write a program called 'BBC Word' or something to that effect. Right now I feel like I have a computer with a Brooklyn operating system designed by a guy called Vinnie.

 

[weezell]

I am still trying to program this piece of junk to speak English as opposed to the dialect spoken down here in the colonies!

Hey???? Is that a shot???...

 

[jpmcwjr]

Simon- My Mac has English English as a choice....Though I am not sure how the Spil-Chukker works in that regard. A lot of people hate them, but I like mine. Still have to use the Spil-Chukker, though, the eyeball kind.

 

[Rumple100]

It is indeed a 'Knotted Rigol' which was representation of one of those late Victorian walking sticks. They were a very popular style as the spikes kept your figures away from the stem and are often found as a clay pipe made by the various British clay pipe makers like Gordon Pollock although I do not remember ever getting one in my monthly pipe quota back in the 1980s. I have owned one of these pipes myself in meerschaum which I sold to a fellow on this forum about five years ago who I think lived in Alaska. The amber stem had a rounded lip and they show up on Ebay quite often normally with buggered bone tenons and threaded shanks that have been worn smooth from over enthusiastic cleaning practices. Remove the tape and see what lies underneath. If it is cracked it will need an oval silver band and new bone tenon and faux amber stem. Look in the bowl to see if it has a restrictor in the base which will usually be a silver six pence with a few holes drilled in it. In terms of repair either send it to Briarville or Ian Walker of Northern Briars (www.northernbriars.co.uk email address info@northernbriars.co.uk) who will have it up and running in no time at all. A lovely pipe well worth getting restored and should smoke well. As an after thought did you get the case with the pipe? They were usually made either by the Parisian carves or the Austrian carves and then white labeled by the pipe retailer. Enjoy smoking it.

Thanks for all of the information and the recommendations for who to send it to for restoration! You said you sold one to someone a few years back, did you have any history on that pipe? Was it antique? I'm just curious about when this design fell out of style, I'd like to believe that this pipe is from the early 1900's (and it does indeed look old) but I'm not sure I'll have too much to go on with dating it.
And yes the case is coming with the pipe, it looks to be in pretty bad shape but it's nice to have it as a complete set.

Edit: also was the pipe you sold a similar size to this one?

 

[Rumple100]

It is indeed a 'Knotted Rigol' which was representation of one of those late Victorian walking sticks. They were a very popular style as the spikes kept your figures away from the stem and are often found as a clay pipe made by the various British clay pipe makers like Gordon Pollock although I do not remember ever getting one in my monthly pipe quota back in the 1980s. I have owned one of these pipes myself in meerschaum which I sold to a fellow on this forum about five years ago who I think lived in Alaska. The amber stem had a rounded lip and they show up on Ebay quite often normally with buggered bone tenons and threaded shanks that have been worn smooth from over enthusiastic cleaning practices. Remove the tape and see what lies underneath. If it is cracked it will need an oval silver band and new bone tenon and faux amber stem. Look in the bowl to see if it has a restrictor in the base which will usually be a silver six pence with a few holes drilled in it. In terms of repair either send it to Briarville or Ian Walker of Northern Briars (www.northernbriars.co.uk email address info@northernbriars.co.uk) who will have it up and running in no time at all. A lovely pipe well worth getting restored and should smoke well. As an after thought did you get the case with the pipe? They were usually made either by the Parisian carves or the Austrian carves and then white labeled by the pipe retailer. Enjoy smoking it.

These are more pictures of the case in case you were interested:

https://imgur.com/a/ePxq8kq

Looking at the ad posted by greeneyes the hinges are in the exact same place (possibly just because it's a common hinge placement) and the round button on the lock are very similar. I messaged the seller but unfortunately they had no information as far as the history of the pipe since it came to them as part of an auction lot

 

[condorlover1]

That case is in pretty good shape.

 

[weezell]

That case is in pretty good shape.

Where's the rubber bands?...