The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-11
Ritbmoaa 9ispatfe.
........n.y MORNING ....Aua. u. NV ss.
.-...-,-.,-.. : -...,... -. - Mania.

~ss- -. Naearaehaum Ms"
w,,h,u the past two 49, esss ." Known a. the
up Ia our mids." and 90 rapid has oecn - !.
"Meersenss ss smoker Of cigar Q. MI, n without
efow..sScred eenteei or las IT. rStxh" passes
The smoke Of his sregan. The usual saiutation
through 4 mecl =, n now forgo.ten, ab. w
o. ho "nses your mesrsehaSs.mr. so that the
tutsd For i must must considered valuable whom
mesrscnauM dark. reddish appearance. ne
II assu nn. much il may smell IKE an oio papes
ana scent cloths until y9uss ,s sais,ns 70
tneir 1sosSion has issued its mandate that
yon,..nann,s must be colored. Cigars are
1900 without number, sleepfess nighn arc
p,ha, II may Be absorbed in the beloved meer-
sch.nm- and the coveted color obtained
orlando are invited TO smoxe that never were
invited before, 20 that the good time may come
when the owner can, with feelings OF graft.
tuae. exciaim, aHow beautiful II Is colored."
Fabulous amounts are paid for them whcn
they have donned the fashionable hue ana
that which was worth but nifty cents when
new, has been sold ~ high as fifteen dollars
when coIored and rank with the oil OF tobacco.
The price, however, cannot be considered enor.
nous when IL 10 understood that the finest
quality Of meerschaum cannot be perfectly
coiored under three months, and then it must
be in use nearly all the time; say, for instance,
thirty cigars per day smoked through one,
each cigar costing three cents, would make the
cost for ninety days ssi. without counting
sick headaches, nervousness, &C Ihe meer-
schaum or that portion in which the cigar or
tobacco 10 placed, 10 made in Vienna, OF clay
found In Asia.
This clay resembles the porcelain clay OF
this country, and is easily moulded into any
desired shape, and the finer the quality, ths
more easily colored by the oil Of tobacco. The
mouthpiece of the meerschaum Is made o.
amber, a substance resembling rosin, found
along the Baltic Sea. This is valued accord
ing TO the size of the piece, and its fitness fol
mouth. pieces. Many of the meerschaums
since the great demand for the article, ar
now made Of French clay, with mouth
pieces of copaI, and SO strong IL the resem
blance, that mono but judges of the articl
can distinguish the difference. Those ar
called, by the knowing ones. "Mere-shams." ~
These sell from twenty-fiv cents to one dol
lar and upwards. The real meerschaums ar
valued, as before stated, by the length and pu
rity OF the outh-piece, and the hneness
the clay from which they are made. Som
of them sell as high az GEO, and the bowl
for pipes as high as $50, in conse
Quence of the elaborate carving upon them
They are made in Vienna, where large mum
Der of persons are employed to meet the pre-
sent demand, One firm, Doll & Co, have solt
over $4,000 worth the present season, and tn
cry is still smore meerschaums." These pipe
have been in use in Vienna and Germany 10
fifty or more years, and by q few Germans il
this country; but not until very recently hav
our citizens taken such fancy 10 them. Now
the fever is equal to the mulberry tree manis
which spread over the country, and ever
cigar shop has its display of rschaums-
Those who are not able TO purchase the ''Simo
Pures," use glass inn tai lions, and one respects
friend has brought into use q portion OF
Holsters claw, because it had been coloreC
without the necessity Of killing himself b
smoking an unusual number of cigars.-Phii'