I really love meerschaum pipes, and started out with vintage amd some antiques.
But then I got my eyes up for moder high end pipe makers and brands, making some meerschaum pipes rarely and very limited. The ones that awakened me and I first discovered was a collaboration between Michael Buttera and Ismet Beckler(sadly I haven't got a pipe by them yet.) This made me very interested if there might be some western pipe makers that occasionally made meerschaum pipes. So, before I found some known makers, I focused on brands, and Dunhill was the first to get. Then Savinelli, Ascorti, Kaywoodie(have an older, very large, early 1900'ds, sculptured, that looks like a pirate, with an large smoking bowl, that's been standing in their factory. It's even marked with a name). Then I was so pleased to find brands like Ser Jacopo, Foundation by Musico and Charatan( that I also missing). I have in my collection a very nice, high end pipe that I bought from America, but can't find out who has made it. It's one of the nicest, classical style pipe I have. It's so perfected done with a nice Vulcanit stem that is perfectly fitted. I sure hope I one day will find out the maker. By makers I have pipes by Rainer Barbi, Chris Morgan, Tim Thorpe, Walt Cannoy (soon) and Nate King(soon). Would like one by Arne Urup. I have also Andreas Bauer, but not by him personally. Would also like some of the famous vintage and antique makers like Gustaf Fisher, Sommer(have one), Franz Heiss amd all those fantastic carvers we don't have the names on, and I don't know of. Anyway, it's the high end pipes, Regular, Classics, Freehands and Sculptured made as good as a painting of Michelangelo I'm after, and now from the newer makers of Briar. I have tried to written to Tom Eltang, Anne Julie(whow), Former, Tao, H. Tokutomi and other Japanese, American, Danish, European, Western, Eastern pipe makers in hope for getting me a meerschaum pipe by some. But with no luch so far. I have a rather larg, natural block of a meerschaum stone. I also have some Spermaceti oil and wax of high quality and a small bottle of nicotine( I've heard they mixed it with the spermaceti wax or oil, amongst other "secret remedies" that's been lost by the years. (All mentioned is legal of course for me to have and posses, humanly and as it should). I have now a collection around 50-100 meerschaum pipes and some other rarities that has something to do with smoking, also Briar pipes, lighters and tools. If anyone could helped make a list of meerschaum makers brands as well as masters that makes truly quality pipes, that would be very helpful. I don't collect to much of Turkey makers, but I have some, like Eyup Sabri and Ismet Bekler, in fact, two of my favorite sculpture meerschaum makers. I just love Beklers "sculptured-modern-art" pipes, I'm sure you know what I mean. And Mr.Sabir have something warm, almost living and breathing to his pipes with those beautiful bone or horn stems. I must say that Sadik Yanik is one of the finest makers I've seen today, but, a BIG but, he mostly makes replicas and truly, they are not good smokers. Why make the mouthpiece, stem like he does? He should learned to make it as good as his carving. It is so important, as we who loves to smoke a good pipe, not only collect. And also, he dips the hole pipe, without closing the openings, the shank and bowl, so the hole pipe is soaked in that, as I see it, terrible yellow beeswax. That not only looks bad, but it makes the smoke, the tobacco taste like....sorry to say it.....shit. One who makes meerschaum pipes should know that NEVER shall there be wax in the chamber, that is the hole inside of the bowl and shank, period. And overwaxing a pipe, I'm not sure that's the way to go. If Mr. Yanik had taken time to study the art of making stems from some professional Briar pipe makers, maybe in Vulcanite/Ebonite, finding the perfect balance, size and so fort. Studying the art of waxing like the old masters, asking and reading around, trying and failing, for me, he then would be the BEST meerschaum pipe maker, maybe in history....at least of this age. That's my thoughts though. Any input are welcome. Would like to read all I can about "The white lady or queen". Maybe someone is sitting on some knowledge how to mix a good wax for meerschaum? Even more than one way? And of course makers and also collectors and friends with genuine interested of all of this. I'm soon to take another and new step in my life, so I'm also thinking of letting go of my humble collection. Just wanted to mention it, but I'm in no real hurry. I hope there will be some hard core pipe collectors of meerschaum and it's history for a long time forward.
But then I got my eyes up for moder high end pipe makers and brands, making some meerschaum pipes rarely and very limited. The ones that awakened me and I first discovered was a collaboration between Michael Buttera and Ismet Beckler(sadly I haven't got a pipe by them yet.) This made me very interested if there might be some western pipe makers that occasionally made meerschaum pipes. So, before I found some known makers, I focused on brands, and Dunhill was the first to get. Then Savinelli, Ascorti, Kaywoodie(have an older, very large, early 1900'ds, sculptured, that looks like a pirate, with an large smoking bowl, that's been standing in their factory. It's even marked with a name). Then I was so pleased to find brands like Ser Jacopo, Foundation by Musico and Charatan( that I also missing). I have in my collection a very nice, high end pipe that I bought from America, but can't find out who has made it. It's one of the nicest, classical style pipe I have. It's so perfected done with a nice Vulcanit stem that is perfectly fitted. I sure hope I one day will find out the maker. By makers I have pipes by Rainer Barbi, Chris Morgan, Tim Thorpe, Walt Cannoy (soon) and Nate King(soon). Would like one by Arne Urup. I have also Andreas Bauer, but not by him personally. Would also like some of the famous vintage and antique makers like Gustaf Fisher, Sommer(have one), Franz Heiss amd all those fantastic carvers we don't have the names on, and I don't know of. Anyway, it's the high end pipes, Regular, Classics, Freehands and Sculptured made as good as a painting of Michelangelo I'm after, and now from the newer makers of Briar. I have tried to written to Tom Eltang, Anne Julie(whow), Former, Tao, H. Tokutomi and other Japanese, American, Danish, European, Western, Eastern pipe makers in hope for getting me a meerschaum pipe by some. But with no luch so far. I have a rather larg, natural block of a meerschaum stone. I also have some Spermaceti oil and wax of high quality and a small bottle of nicotine( I've heard they mixed it with the spermaceti wax or oil, amongst other "secret remedies" that's been lost by the years. (All mentioned is legal of course for me to have and posses, humanly and as it should). I have now a collection around 50-100 meerschaum pipes and some other rarities that has something to do with smoking, also Briar pipes, lighters and tools. If anyone could helped make a list of meerschaum makers brands as well as masters that makes truly quality pipes, that would be very helpful. I don't collect to much of Turkey makers, but I have some, like Eyup Sabri and Ismet Bekler, in fact, two of my favorite sculpture meerschaum makers. I just love Beklers "sculptured-modern-art" pipes, I'm sure you know what I mean. And Mr.Sabir have something warm, almost living and breathing to his pipes with those beautiful bone or horn stems. I must say that Sadik Yanik is one of the finest makers I've seen today, but, a BIG but, he mostly makes replicas and truly, they are not good smokers. Why make the mouthpiece, stem like he does? He should learned to make it as good as his carving. It is so important, as we who loves to smoke a good pipe, not only collect. And also, he dips the hole pipe, without closing the openings, the shank and bowl, so the hole pipe is soaked in that, as I see it, terrible yellow beeswax. That not only looks bad, but it makes the smoke, the tobacco taste like....sorry to say it.....shit. One who makes meerschaum pipes should know that NEVER shall there be wax in the chamber, that is the hole inside of the bowl and shank, period. And overwaxing a pipe, I'm not sure that's the way to go. If Mr. Yanik had taken time to study the art of making stems from some professional Briar pipe makers, maybe in Vulcanite/Ebonite, finding the perfect balance, size and so fort. Studying the art of waxing like the old masters, asking and reading around, trying and failing, for me, he then would be the BEST meerschaum pipe maker, maybe in history....at least of this age. That's my thoughts though. Any input are welcome. Would like to read all I can about "The white lady or queen". Maybe someone is sitting on some knowledge how to mix a good wax for meerschaum? Even more than one way? And of course makers and also collectors and friends with genuine interested of all of this. I'm soon to take another and new step in my life, so I'm also thinking of letting go of my humble collection. Just wanted to mention it, but I'm in no real hurry. I hope there will be some hard core pipe collectors of meerschaum and it's history for a long time forward.
?
