Paratroop Regiment Meer

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BasketCase

Might Stick Around
Mar 12, 2020
62
166
Bought this beautiful meerschaum from an (online) antique shop last week and it smokes beautifully. It's quite an interesting design as it sort of has a faux-calabash carved rim - still not sure what the purpose of that is, but it adds to the quirkiness of the pipe. Another slight quirk is that it has a bottom as though it's a sitter, but the weight is off so it can't 'sit'. I'm all for some eccentricity so it doesn't bother me!

My one concern is that I'm not, nor have ever been, nor (barring some strange combination of events) likely to be in the British Parachute Regiment. I didn't commission the pipe and won't turn up to events smoking it, but I appreciate its history. I'm wondering if it was related to an amazing man I came across called Major Richard Hargreaves who was both a decorated Para officer who fought in WW2 and, later, Master of the Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders in the UK.

Suffice to say I will be loading up some Squadron Leader tomorrow and raising a toast in celebration of VE day.
 

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jonasclark

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 4, 2013
738
384
Seattle
Love it! Just FYI, that's Turkish, and probably early 2000s or newer, which is around when the ability to easily commission pipe started.
 
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Pipe Daddy

Might Stick Around
Oct 16, 2019
54
166
Great pipe! I'm sure you're proud to own it. That pipe reminds me of the meerschaum lined briars in my collection. Could it be a pipe within a pipe? Meerschaum lined meerschaum? Never seen anything else like it.
 
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BasketCase

Might Stick Around
Mar 12, 2020
62
166
Great pipe! I'm sure you're proud to own it. That pipe reminds me of the meerschaum lined briars in my collection. Could it be a pipe within a pipe? Meerschaum lined meerschaum? Never seen anything else like it.

Yeah it's strange as it's carved to look as though it has a removable pot, but it's absolutely one piece off meerschaum. I'm sure there's a story to it but can't figure out what the reason might be ?
 

jonasclark

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 4, 2013
738
384
Seattle
How could I tell that it's Turkish? Nothing European used those brown-red-amber plastic stems, and Turkish carving is not like antique carving.
 
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pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,269
Interesting design but probably not all that rare or even an antique. On-line retailers in meerschaum sell all types of military/fraternal themed pipes. I have one carved for U.S. Coast Guard members.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I like the cultured edge within the British military. One time in London, I went to an avant guard production of Shakespeare in the theater district, and there were about two rows of large, young, very fit men with short haircuts, who I figured must be Royal Marines, or some such, having an afternoon at the theater as a group. Outside UK, I wouldn't think of paratroopers as pipe smokers, but here's a pipe to prove the point.
 
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pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,269
I like the cultured edge within the British military. One time in London, I went to an avant guard production of Shakespeare in the theater district, and there were about two rows of large, young, very fit men with short haircuts, who I figured must be Royal Marines, or some such, having an afternoon at the theater as a group. Outside UK, I wouldn't think of paratroopers as pipe smokers, but here's a pipe to prove the point.
I met and knew a number of Marines who smoked pipes while I was in the Coast Guard. More than one told me, "If it was good enough for General Chesty Puller, it's good enough for me."
 

BasketCase

Might Stick Around
Mar 12, 2020
62
166
Thanks all for the input. These had been my assumptions so interesting to hear that others arrived at similar conclusions! Going to fire up a bowl this weekend. Cheers, B
 
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