Peterson Meer anyone?
- Thread starter Deano
- Start date
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I’m not sure I understand the hubbub here. An auction is one of the best ways to determine the value of a collectible. I believe that’s partly how the values of fine art are calculated. Markets like this are highly volatile. The seller in this case might be hitting a high point. Next month this might sell lower. So what if someone wants to pay more than what another thinks it’s worth? Capitalism at its finest.
Peterson used African meerschaum for most of their meerschaum pipes. If I'm not mistaken the African meerschaum mines closed down in the early 90s, and Peterson stopped making African meerschaum pipes in the early 2000's. So being that you have an unsmoked Peterson African meerschaum pipe with sock, and box and in great condition; that price isn't unreasonable. Unsmoked African meerschaum pipes don't appear everyday.
I had one years ago and it was a good smoker. Only reason I got rid of it was because I hated the P-bit. Looking back, I should have just made a new stem for it. 
Well, this one sold yesterday. I know. I bought it. 
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Technically Peterson didn't "make" any African meer pipes, they were all made by Laxey Pipes Ltd. (Manx Pipe) on the Isle Of Man for Peterson. Laxey closed its doors in 2002. Peterson did however band and stem the Laxey stummles in Ireland. This does not apply to the hand full of Turkish block meerschaum Peterson's made.
Not sure that's the explanation, but a few guys certainly don't mind paying $300 or so for an unsmoked, boxed pipe, branded by a highly-collectible pipe company, that's fifty years old.
Other than paying $50 for a wonderfully smokeable mass-produced pipe that has no collectible value, does any of it really make sense?
Charred rim on a Meer is miles different than charred rim on briar.
The Peterson African meets aren't charred either - it's a fumed top and it came from the factory that way
True story, almost all of Laxey Peterson's had calcined rims. I can count on one hand the number of 'em I've seen that didn't have it.
I am aware they were made on the Isle of Man, and I have several pipes from the Manx factory. Laxey Pipes used African block Meerschaum from the Tanganyika Meerschaum Corporation based out Tanzania as they discovered a Meerschaum mine in Kilimanjaro in Tanzania back in the 1950's. A small amount of their pipes were made from Turkish Meerschaum later on after the African mines closed down, and before the Laxey Pipes factory finally closed down in the early 2000's. So no, the Peterson pipes were not made in Africa, but they are block African Meerschaum with some being block Turkish Meerschaum.
Interesting side note: my 4x Great Uncle is the famous "Manx Man," who lived in Greeba Castle on the Isle of Man. He was a famous author in the late 1800's, early 1900s, and several of his books were made into silent movies. Notably, Alfred Hitchcock's last silent film was "The Manxman." So, I have a small connection to the Isle of Man and Manx history.
