Silver Eskimos

[jpmcwjr]

I can think of a lot of people that should be pretty damned close to the fire…for eternity.

Sheesh, Dan, Easter was just hours away......

 

[runscott]

There is currently another 1910's 'multi-metal rim' pipe on ebay where the seller describes the rim as 'gold filled and sterling silver'. The stummel is briar.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

The age of polar exploration was 1897-1922, your pipe was made right smack in the middle of that. The "Heroic Age" was rife with popular culture much like Egypt-mania. Polar explorers were superstars in their day. Your pipe looks like it was probably made to commemorate/capitalize on that.

 

[FurCoat]

Unique piece. I like it.

 

[runscott]

The age of polar exploration was 1897-1922, your pipe was made right smack in the middle of that. The "Heroic Age" was rife with popular culture much like Egypt-mania. Polar explorers were superstars in their day. Your pipe looks like it was probably made to commemorate/capitalize on that.

Tremendous observation. I have a couple of Shackleton books and have read most of the books on this subject, but it never crossed my mind. I think you're spot-on.

 

[Searock Fan]

I must be missing something. Why do you believe it's an Eskimo?

 

[Brig]

Gorgeous pipe.

I agree with others that it was likely a case of the carver capitalizing on the polar exploration craze.

I don't think the figure is meant to be an eskimo, but a polar explorer. As the pipe is American-made in Manhattan, it might be representative or Robert Peary (shown below), a Navy officer and prolific arctic explorer during the era who was long believed to have been the first man to reach the geographic North Pole.

I've smoked a few pipes under the arctic lights myself, and can certainly attest that the region captures the imagination.

 

[jonasclark]

To the discussion about material, this pipe is absolutely meerschaum. Rarely will you see a pipe made from bone or ivory, and never one cased like this.