biglam/hmd_newspapers huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-10-21

A VENERABLE PIPE.

It is stated by the Hungarian journals that Count
Andrassy has just presented the Peeth Museum with a
collection of arms and other interesting objects.
Amlngst them is a meerschaum pipe of rude exterior,
which claims to be the first of -its race. It dates back
to 1724, and was made by a shoemaker named Karol
Kowates, then living at Pesth, whose singular talent
for wood carving had brought him under the notice
of M. Andrassy, an ancestor of the present Austrian
Prime Minister. The Count on returning from a mis-
sion in Turkey had brought back with him a lump of
,whitish clay, which had been given him as a curiosity
on account of its extreme. lightness. The idea
crossed the shoemaker's mind on seeing it that, being
porous, it wouid make excellent pipes, since it would
absorb the nicotine. With the Count's consent, he cut
roughly out of the block two pipes, one for his patron,
one for himself. Chance brought about another dis-
covery. In the exercise of his trade, Kowates naturally
uscd wax, and an odd pieceor two adhered to the pipe.
Toe shoemaker remarking that where the meerschaum
had been in contact with the wax it exchanged its defil
white colour for a delicate shade of brown, imme-
diately waxed the whole surface of the bowl with
entire succees. It is this same venerable pipa which is
now be seen at the Pesth Museum, surrounded by
costlier objects. It frequently calls 'forth exclamations
,of surprise from visitors unacquainted with its history, who marvel to see the homely meerachaum in
Buch good company.—Evening Standard,