Meerschaum Prices

[AJL67]

I’ve only bought 2 new meers total out of my 20, there are some fantastic deals on estates you just have to have patience and luck.

 

[didimauw]

Is that why you switched your Avatar to a briar pipe? You boycotted meerschaums. LOL

P.S. I was so use to seeing the meerschaum pipe in it, I was like, wooo, what happened here. LOL

I wish it were that simple! I don't care how expensive they get, I'll keep buyin em!

 

[AroEnglish]

100% when I first started pipeing around 2016/2017 I remember the same sellers but much lower prices. At that point Mcclelland was going under and I was just a meer baby (pun intended). You can still find good prices but for the most part quality meerschaum is becoming more pricy.

Wonderful pun

 

[Roach1]

He does have good prices and i have one on the way as of a few days ago. One thing i noticed though is you have to watch the pics carefully for quality, thickness of bowl, overall size, etc. I'll report on the one i get. Not sure how the internal engineering is on them. Do you have one?

No, I do not. I just remembered that his prices are more than reasonable and had a large selection in the video. I have one Meerschaum that I bought at the PX in Heidelberg about 35 years ago. I smoked it a couple of times the and was in the cabinet until December after I got back into pipes November last. I washed it out and sanded the bowl but have yet to smoke it.

 

[JOHN72]

Good topic, this reminded me. I still haven't had the time to buy one of those Turkish pipes. I hope soon to at least enjoy one of them.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Meerschaum has gotten more expensive but good deals are still out there if you look. I would say Altinay in particular has gotten outrageous but if they’re selling pipes at those prices more power to them.

Whats the current situation with that reputable Tekin meerchaums?

 

[MattRVA]

I noticed the meerschaum price increase also. Inflation plus taking advantage of their rising popularity perhaps. I hate to see things so expensive and it’s simply not worth it for me.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Turkey's inflation rate is around 70%. Was running 40% same period last year.

Shouldn't that make the dollar more valuable and a better exchange rate? I am not an economist.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

If I compared my 1970's salary and meerschaum cost with today 's dollar value I really doubt I'd see much difference. I purchased car a couple years ago that cost as much as my first house. Wages/costs of materials, etc. go up, and consumer has to foot the bill, just the way life goes. Owners, stockholders and such want a return on their moneys invested. Your choice as a consumer, especially if you live under the mean in your area, is to make yourself more valuable to your employer, seek a new, higher wage or, simply reduce your expenses, eat less, get a couple more years out of the current vehicle, second job, and so forth. It takes work and knowledge to stay ahead of inflation. Not much point in even acknowledging price increases if you aren't doing all you can to stay ahead of the curve. Well. we bitch and complain but, that really doesn't put more money in your wallets.

If you are young, make plans, save/invest and get ready for your so called "Golden Years." You are, after all, the only one who really cares about you or can plan for your future..

I was gonna chime in 'real inflation' is just a bit worse than it's reported to be, you'll especially see how weak the US dollar is when trying to buy stuff/do business internationally.

 

[Dr. Internet]

One of the nice things about meerschaum is that, unless dropped, it lasts almost forever. I bought two estate meers about 30 years ago for $50 each from a local dealer. They had been thoroughly cleaned and smoked like new. I still smoke and enjoy them.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

One of the nice things about meerschaum is that, unless dropped, it lasts almost forever. I bought two estate meers about 30 years ago for $50 each from a local dealer. They had been thoroughly cleaned and smoked like new. I still smoke and enjoy them.

And that is not right either. Quality meerschaum I have, I can drop it and it might chip but it's never broke and I've stood up with it on my lap from my car to concrete and just a small chip is all that happend and a few small scratches. That's quality block meerschaum. If it breaks when its dropped, it's either too thin or not quality block meerschaum.

 

[Chasing Embers]

That's quality block meerschaum. If it breaks when its dropped, it's either too thin or not quality block meerschaum.

Being a natural substance, even outwardly appearing good blocks can have hidden fissures.

 

[buroak]

Peterson Block African Meerschaum has Doubled in price lately, I'm lucky that I collected them from the early 70's, I love the Manx Meerschaum's even some are not Peterson's, they all smoke great.

Yeah, the African Meer market has gone white hot across the board. I sold the only Pete System Tanganyika Meer I had years ago. That sale is one of I regret, but I still have a trio of Amboseli pipes bought at good prices.

 

[buroak]

I just wondered if Turkey had been invaded or something? A 25% bump or so outpaces inflation.

Actually, Turkey has had a long-running inflation problem that makes the US situation look like a non-event. If anything, that should be depressing prices for meerschaum pipes.

I just wondered if Turkey had been invaded or something? A 25% bump or so outpaces inflation.

 

[brian64]

And that is not right either. Quality meerschaum I have, I can drop it and it might chip but it's never broke and I've stood up with it on my lap from my car to concrete and just a small chip is all that happend and a few small scratches. That's quality block meerschaum. If it breaks when its dropped, it's either too thin or not quality block meerschaum.

I agree. My experience over the years is meers are much less fragile than commonly perceived. There could be "hidden fissures" as Embers said, but I've never encountered it, and I suspect that is rare.

 

[warren]

Shouldn't that make the dollar more valuable and a better exchange rate

The old dollar, bless it's faintly beating heart, isn't particularly strong anywhere I'm aware of.

 

[Dr. Internet]

And that is not right either. Quality meerschaum I have, I can drop it and it might chip but it's never broke and I've stood up with it on my lap from my car to concrete and just a small chip is all that happend and a few small scratches. That's quality block meerschaum. If it breaks when its dropped, it's either too thin or not quality block meerschaum.

I did not mean to imply that it is fragile. What I meant was that it doesn't wear out, and aside from physical damage, it will last a long, long time. Sorry for the poor choice of words.

 

[elvishrunes]

My one experience with dropping Meer was it did break, and wasn’t that high either and on a beach, probably hit a rock piece, but if people say the opposite who am I to argue.

If you notice 3/4 down the shank, there is a white line. I used epoxy then white out to cover.

Got this at an antique store, and has a real amber stem and quality tenon, low end meers have cheap tenons, so I assume it’s good block but is thin,thin.

Haven't smoked it in 10 yrs, tomorrow whether permiting,

 

[warren]

My one experience with dropping Meer was it did break, and wasn’t that high either and on a beach, probably hit a rock piece, but if people say the opposite who am I to argue.

A briar landing on a hard surface, will easily break at it's most vulnerable spot. No one, I know, thinks a meer is indestructible but, most agree meers are really no more vulnerable than a briar. I've dropped meers, more than I'd like, over sixty years of smoking them and never had one break. Chip? Certainly. I've dropped a briars over the years and one did break at the shank. Briars will dent, scratch and chip when abused just like meers will.

I really think, except for the ornate/delicately carved, meers are really no more fragile than most briars. I'd exclude those briars built ugly, thick and stocky, of course. I've never owned one but, they do look sturdy and unappealing to my eye.

 

[AJL67]

The old dollar, bless it's faintly beating heart, isn't particularly strong anywhere I'm aware of.

It's about to get worse, the Saudis had a deal in place to only sell oil for USD in exchange for military protection, weapons, the like, but since we are now the laughing stock of the world and our military seems to care about pronouns more than anything else they are not going to extend that, it's up this month.