Do Dyed Meers Lose their Color?

[VelourThunder]

My wife wants to buy me a pipe on my birthday and I found a very handsome meerschaum that has been dyed marbled green and black. Now this pipe is quite expensive for me and my wife so before we buy it I wanted to know if anyone has any experience with pre dyed meers. Is this color going to rub off or flake off in the future or will it just darken as I smoke it or will nothing happen and it will stay the same? I am particularly looking for first hand experience with this.

The pipe in question.

 

[BrightDarkEyes]

Good question. One of the things that I found so attractive and interesting about meerschaum was how the pure white changes colour with use over time so I never considered one with dye. I am interested to see what you find out.

 

[VelourThunder]

Good question. One of the things that I found so attractive and interesting about meerschaum was how the pure white changes colour with use over time so I never considered one with dye. I am interested to see what you find out.

I just emailed the merchant so if I don't find any answers here I will definitely edit my post to include anything they tell me.

 

[Sigmund]

Dont quote me but I think if its african meer it wont change color. That meer must be dyed to have color. I have a pre dyed barling that is pretty old. It was made by the same company that made some of the pre colored petes. . Mine has not changed over the years and the factory color has remained. If its block meer that takes color its gonna change

 

[VelourThunder]

Good question. One of the things that I found so attractive and interesting about meerschaum was how the pure white changes colour with use over time so I never considered one with dye. I am interested to see what you find out.

I just emailed the merchant so if I don't find any answers here I will definitely edit my post to include anything they tell me.

Dont quote me but I think if its african meer...Im told most of which doesnt turn color is dyed. I have a pre dyed barling that is pretty old. It was made by the same company that made some of the pre colored petes. Since it wont color from smoking they dye it. Mine has not changed over the years and the factory color has remained. If its block meer that takes color its gonna change

It says it's block meer but not if it is African. Do the African ones have the same smoke cooling and no ghosting properties of the Turkish ones in your experience? I only have 1 meerschaum as of now and it is Turkish afaik and I love the way it smokes so I would be pretty disappointed if I got this one and it didn't have the same properties.

 

[Sigmund]

I think the african is still block...just different block. Maybe someone will chime in. Im no expert. I just know that my Barling Meer has not changed and I was told here its becuase it was dyed at the factory due to being african meer which wont take color from smoking. Sorry...its not an answer to your question BUT its does let you know meer exists that wont change

Id try to contact the maker, not the merchant. Its hard to say how much they know and how far they will go to get the answer. You can perhaps put the pipe on hold until you get an answer.

 

[Sigmund]

Here is what I was told about mine from some experts here.

Show Off Your Meerschaum Pipes Here! :: Pipes: Show Us Your (fill in the blank) Pipes

went on vacation and picked this up at a local antique store today

pipesmagazine.com

 

[VelourThunder]

I think the african is still block...just different block. Maybe someone will chime in. Im no expert. I just know that my Barling Meer has not changed and I was told here its becuase it was dyed at the factory due to being african meer which wont take color from smoking. Sorry...its not an answer to your question BUT its does let you know meer exists that wont change

Id try to contact the maker, not the merchant. Its hard to say how much they know and how far they will go to get the answer. You can perhaps put the pipe on hold until you get an answer.

Here is what I was told about mine from some experts here.

Show Off Your Meerschaum Pipes Here! :: Pipes: Show Us Your (fill in the blank) Pipes

went on vacation and picked this up at a local antique store today

pipesmagazine.com

I should have mentioned it is an IMP pipe. From what I've read all their pipes are made from higher grade Turkish block but for all I know thats just marketing.

 

[Sigmund]

I Just looked. I personally think if it does change it will be pretty cool. The shank will darken and the rim will darken. Id think it would stay green with dark accents if you dont do anything weird to the pipe. Honestly, most every pipe changes. Briar and wax darken, clay and meers color. If I had to drop money Id say if it was NOT going to change they would have said so. IMP is in the meer business so they know the differences. Id be suprised if they omitted that info.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I just emailed the merchant

Good call, Burak will have the answer since Meerschaum Market is IMP.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I imagine the colour of the dye will change some from exposure to ultraviolet light. Fortunately, your pipe has a lot of blue in it, which will be one of the last colours to fade—think of cans vegetables that might’ve been on display in a window at a local store/supermarket; the labels often look blue because the yellow and magenta inks used in printing have faded first and all that remains are the cyan (blue) and black. Some of the yellows in your pipe might fade, leaving your pipe looking a little less green and more blue. If you keep it away from windows with sun exposure, it will slow the process. Fluorescent lights will also fade inks.

 

[Sigmund]

Is it possible that of the yellow dye starts to fade it will be reinforced by yellowing from tobacco?

 

[kcghost]

You can tell by our answers that we have little first-hand knowledge of how colored meerschaum will react to tobacco.

 

[VelourThunder]

Is it possible that of the yellow dye starts to fade it will be reinforced by yellowing from tobacco?

Ok so I got a reply from IMP

Christmas pipe is a very nice one. It's color will stay on it for a long time but after the pipe starts coloring some sides of the pipe may get dark starting from the shank of the pipe. As you know meerschaum pipes change color and get darker. Until the time of the coloration is lighter than the green stain on the pipe, you will see it green but when the natural coloration of the pipe is darker, you will start to see darker green going to dark cherry color in the following years. This mentoned process is a very long one to observe. Generally speaking, you will see the in this original color for a long time.

 

[VelourThunder]

Good question. One of the things that I found so attractive and interesting about meerschaum was how the pure white changes colour with use over time so I never considered one with dye. I am interested to see what you find out.

According to IMP the pipe will slowly change color over several years and the green will eventually turn to a dark cherry color but the color will not just flake off like some other people on different fourms have said.

 

[Sigmund]

Interesting. I guess the cherry mixed with the green is why they call it a Christmas pipe. Could be cool.

 

[VelourThunder]

Interesting. I guess the cherry mixed with the green is why they call it a Christmas pipe. Could be co

Interesting. I guess the cherry mixed with the green is why they call it a Christmas pipe. Could be cool.

I'll do an update in a few years and show everyone lol

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I would think colored Meers would color over time just like briar does. May take awhile but I bet it will darken. Look at a tan briar, see the example of my own. Meer is more pourous than briar so I would think it would behave similarly.






The second photo is a couple of years old. This pipe is much darker now.