Vintage Meer Needing Some TLC.

[mawnansmiff]

Below is a recent eBay purchase that I really didn't expect to win. The seller never even knew it was a meer pipe, I had to tell him!
It is roughly 4 3/4 inched long and fits so snugly in the case that I am pretty certain they are a matched pair. The case is unusual I think in having burgundy silk in one half and buff coloured velvet in the other but alas no name. Sadly I am unable to date it as the silver hallmarks are pretty obliterated but I am guessing at a date around 1890 ish.
There are two issues that need addressing, the thick cake and the missing bit of meer where the stem screws in. This makes it overclocked when gently put together.
Last night I attempted removing some cake using a darning needle whilst the bowl was under a microscope but I stopped due to fear that I might inadvertently remove some meer.
Member Paul aka Tozert has kindly suggested he may be able to help me with this so here are some pictures. The first three are from the seller.

As can be seen it has coloured rather nicely, deep oxblood on the shank and distinct bands around the bowl. If anyone would like to make a stab at a date or better still a COM then that would be super!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[cortezattic]

I think it would be very worthwhile to have this professionally restored. The carbon cake build-up is the more trivial of this pipe's two problems, and can probably be reduced eliminated by sanding it down away with a dowel wrapped in sandpaper.
I imagine the mortise could be rebuilt by blocking the draft with a plastic dowel, then packing epoxy into the cylindrical void formed by the dowel and band. The new material would then need to be tapped with the correct thread to receive the tenon.
Do not take this as expert advice. They're only my amateur musings.

 

[tozert]

I think the silver band may have been part of a repair job to reinforce the original, crumbly shoulder. Cortez is correct with the repair procedure. The cake will have to be sanded away, and the crumbly shoulder strengthened with a "cap" of new material. The screw tenon also looks like a repair job, in which case it might be ideal to get a whole new push fit mortise and tenon installation set, which I can get no problem. Looks like an interesting project, and I would be happy to fix her up for you.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Thanks chaps for your input (PM sent Paul). I did wonder if after putting Vaseline on the male thread then putting a little fire cement into the shank where the meer is missing then gently winding the stem back in and leaving it to set might work.
Regards the cake, even under the microscope it's difficult to see where the meer ends and the cake starts if you get my drift. That is why I stopped using the darning needle.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[didimauw]

Beautiful pipe!

 

[mawnansmiff]

I see on picture #5 that the draught hole looks off centre, this is not the case, it's purely down to the angle of the camera.
Interestingly, I did have it back under the microscope today and looking down the shank I see what suspiciously looks like some kind of dark amber coloured rosin into which the stem screwed into which would tally with Paul's suggestion that it had been fixed at some point in its life.
I also tackled a little more of the cake with the darning needle and found that though towards the top the cake was somewhat crumbly (and very waxy), it hardens up after going down the bowl about 4mm and is pretty tricky (and painful) to work with.
It looks as though it is going to be sent to Paul for his expert attention which would be very much appreciated.
BTW, if anyone has contact with member Simon, I really would appreciate his general thoughts on the pipe, he being something of a meer cutty guru.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[scrooge]

Contact Condorlover1 "Simon" He's the old meer pro.

 

[ashdigger]

Send it to Ric at Briarville, he's the best at ancient meerschaum pipes. He repaired a few of mine and now they're gorgeous and smoke fantastic. He also does work for Simon (Condorlover)
http://www.briarville.com/

 

[fitzy]

Nice find. Be sure to post the after resto pics.

 

[nevadablue]

Yes, please do that. Hopefully at least summarize what was found and done also.