Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-04-20
MeERsCAAUM AND AMBER.
Some Facts Relating to Them and tn
Manufacture of Pipes.

Some Facts Relating to Them and the
Manufacture of Pipes.
Replying to some questions by re-
porter, large manufacturer of
smokers materials said: Upon the
whole, the demand for meerschaum
pipes has increased of late years. vi
emma is the headquarters of the meer-
schaum industry, and until within ten
years but comparatively few pipes
were made from that material in this
country. There are now number of
factories in this city which turn out
first-class meerschaum work. Crude
meerschaum comes from various places
in Asia Minor, where it is mined from
serpentine or chalky rock, in which it
is embedded by nature. When first
dug out it is very soft, but it becomes
hard upon exposure to the air. The
Armenians control almost entirely the
business of mining and marketing this
species of clay. The crude blocks of
polished before being put in the market,
so that some idea of the value of the
raw product can be ascertained by
sight. The central market for it is
Vienna. When offered for sale meer-
schaum is assorted in four sizes. OF the
largest size there are about thirty-fve
pieces to the case, of the second seventy
five. of the third one hundred and
seventy-fve and of the fourth three hun
dred tOfive hundred pieces. Purchasers
who are experts prefer the blocks
which are neither very light nor very
heavy. If too light, the material is
extremely porous, and in a pipe will
absorb too much nicotine. An i'm
portant quality in determining the
value of meerschaum is freedom from
flaws, 1t is comparatively easy to
secure perfect blocks of small size, but
very difficult to get as perfect large
ones.
The process of manufacturing meer-
schaum pipes requires great skill and
all of the workmen employed in the in
dustry are Austrians. American work
men have not yet become trained in
the art. The first process in making a
pipe is to cut the clay block roughly
into the shape of the bowl. 1t is then
Tipped in water, and, while soft,
turned on lathe. From the lathe the
bowl is rubbed smooth, reed with
fine velvety surface being used as a
ile. When the surface has become
perfectly smooth, the article is dipped
in hot wax, left there short time, and
then rubbed smooth again with a
cloth The rich brown hue so highly
priced by smokers is.prOduced by the
nicotine driving the wax, which it at
the same time colOrs, to the surface Of
the pipe. In buying a meerschaum
BOWL, one with yellow tinge should
De selected, as the yellow shade shows
that the meerschaum was pOrus enough
pipe indicates too much density for
proper coloring.
CLOSELY connected with meerschaum
IS the amber from which the best
mouth-pieces are made. At present, so
far as is known, this wonderful resinous
deposit is confined to certain parts of
the shore of the Baltic Sea. Some of
it is found in loose fragments, which
ire washed ashore aftera heavy storm.
but the greater quantity is secured by
mining in the cliffs Amber is sold by
weight, an average price being $3.50
per pound. The smaller pieces sell as
low as 81 80 per pound, and the largest
sometimes bring as high as $40 for the
same weight The green-hued amber
is the most valuable, and the cloudy,
as it Obscures the nicotine stains, is
generally preferred for mouth-pieces.
The clear quality is, however, always
in demand for jewefry, Amber IS
readily worked into shape by sand
paper and Furnishing wheels. 1t can
be softened by heat and easily bent.
For mouth-pieces, the great waste in
working amber makes it expensive,
and rubber, celluloid, and other com
positions have been found to be good
substitutes, though for first-class pipes
nothing can take its place, IN. Y.
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