Papa's Meer

[mrgunnar177]

So this was my first pipe, my grandfather died when I was seven, I dont ever remember him smoking however I know he did. After he died years later dad had kept 2 footlockers full of his belongings wedding rings, knives, watches, stamps, coins etc well last summer he told me to go through it and take anything I want because if I didn't he would throw it away ( footlockers taking up space) so I did and the first thing I found was this Meer pipe, I asked my grandma about it and she said it was one that she bought for him, and the fact that she remembered that means that it was importent...well here it is and im wondering if anyone can tell me what the design might be or if you know the carver or could put a guesstimate on the value, It holds alot of sentimental value, but I am curious. Iv never smoked it because I havent decided if I should or not. I dont want to take the leather off because I dont know if it came on there or if my grandpa had it put on there. oh its at least 20 years old my guess around the 60's-80's

 

[baronsamedi]

I'll have to defer to the more experienced meerschaum guys, but you certainly have a treasure and I think you should smoke that baby!

 

[hobie1dog]

Keep it, smoke it, find out the history of it as you go. That's neat that you were able to receive it that way.

 

[mrgunnar177]

as you can see the stem is broken any idea who I could trust to make a replacement stem? it screws in

 

[mrgunnar177]

I think its cool that you can tell its defiantly gotten used smells like his house too haha ( dosent smell like tobacco just kinda musty but in a good way)

 

[photoman13]

That would be my favorite pipe. My grandfather gave me a whole bunch of home made lures of his and a few other tackle related items that were very dear to me. Unfortunately they where stolen off my dad's boat. I was able to fish with most of them and even caught a few. From personal experience, take care of it and use it while you are able to.

 

[mrgunnar177]

It is my favorite for the reason it was my grandpas and it has an amazing draw ill probably smoke it one of these days. not tonight but within this week. just need to figure out where to get a replacement stem, ill keep the original stem but id like a new one

 

[tjameson]

Wow that is a cool find!

 

[topd]

When I got my first meerschaum in '75, the advice during that time was to cover it with chamois cloth to keep from touching it for a year or so. I would imagine that's what that covering is.

 

[tbradsim1]

Does it have any writing on the stem? The old cajun

 

[gnatjulio]

That's a really nice pipe.

 

[barkar]

Wow what a great keep sake....I agree, smoke it enjoy it in his honour... :puffpipe:

 

[crpntr1]

http://www.royalmeerschaumpipes.com/Replacement-Pipe-Stem-and-Pipe-Fitting-p/sf1524.htm

good find!

 

[ssjones]

Dave Wolfe at Walker Briarworks could also do the repair for you. I'd definitely want to save that and enjoy it occasionally.
http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/

 

[mluyckx]

Nice find and a solid bonus that it comes with those memories !
Looks like the cover was put on afterwards given that the bowl is carved underneath. I've heard the same thing TopD said, so that's what your grandpa may have done as well. You already have some good links on the stem repairs.
Enjoy that baby !

 

[mrgunnar177]

@ cajun there is no writing on the stem

Thats interesting about the whole not holding it for a year :puffpipe:

 

[cigrmaster]

I would smoke it and treasure it. I wish I had my grandfathers pipes but he died when I was only 20 or so and I was not into them. Now that I think of it I am going to call my uncle who still might have them. Thanks for getting me to think about that.

 

[pstlpkr]

When I got my first meerschaum in '75, the advice during that time was to cover it with chamois cloth to keep from touching it for a year or so. I would imagine that's what that covering is.

+1 TopD
Very cool find.

I'd smoke it just to make real the connection my past.
::

 

[mrgunnar177]

Well I smoked it for the first time tonight, it was wonderful, thought about the times that I would hangout with my grandpa, Looking through a bunch of old photographs of us and just reminiscing. I smoked Old Toby from the lotr series from just for him, out of the pipe, its a complex tobacco ( for me) and it was about an hour smoke and no relights and it took 2 lights to get it started. ( char and the regular) Also I actually took my time to pack the pipe instead of my normal gravity fill/that seems right pack, i actually took time to slow down, which is hard for me, Also while sitting on my back porch smoking it I smoked slowly and there was no wind on this summer's night, the creamy smoke drifted slowly into the dark sky. It really was probably my best experience smoking alone. I asked my dad a while ago what my grandpa used to smoke and he said he didn't know and that he had always been looking for the tin when he smoked (from his early 20s up until 15 years ago when he quit) I didn't take a video like I normally do for my you tube channel and I didn't take any pictures it was really a time to reflect. A little about my grandfather, his great grandfather sailed over to this great country from the old country ( Norway) in 1864 My grandpa was born in 1924 in Minnesota he died Dec 22 of 2003 so I was 10 years old. He was a great father and a great grandfather I have fond memories of sitting on his lap and waiting for him to come home from the lab when I was over at their house which was every Thursday. He was a Professor of Geology at Washington state University. He was an avid fisherman and handy with many different tools. He had 4 children, My father was in the middle. my father grew up here in WA and so have I.
Cheers
Gunnar