Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-03-28
MEERscHAuM AND AMBER.
Some Facts Relating to Them and tll
Manufacture Of Pipea.


Some Facts Relating to Them and the
Manufacture OF Pipes.
Replyingto some questions by re-
porter, a 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
we're made from that material in this
country. There are now a number OF
factories in this city which turn out
first-class meerschaum work. Crude
meerschaum comes from various places
In Asia Minor, where 1t 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
meerschaum are slightly waxed and
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-five
pieces to the case, OF the second seventy
five. of the third one hundred and
seventy-five and of the fourth three hun
dred tofiye hundred pieces. Purchasers
who are experts prefer the blocks
which are neither very light nor very
heavy. II too light, the material is
extremely porous, and in 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.
1.-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 q
pipe is to cut the clay block roughly
into the shape Of the bowl. 1t is ther
dipped in water, and, while soft
turned on lathe. From the lathe the
bowl is rubbed smooth, reed with {
fine velvety surface being used as {
file. When the surface has become
perfectly smooth, the article is dipped
in hot wax, left there short time, ant
then rubbed smooth again with I
cloth. The rich brown hue so highl,
priced by smokers is produced by TIT
nicotine driving the wax, which it u
the same time colors, to the surface o
the pipe. In buying meerschaun
bowl, one with yellow tinge shoult
be selected, as the yellow shade show
that the meerschaum was porus enougl
to absorb wax. A white meerschaun
pipe indicates too much density TO
proper coloring.
CLOSELY connected with meerschaun
is the amber from which the bes
mouth-pieces are made. At present, s
far as is known, this wonderful resinou
deposit is confined to certain parts Q
the shore of the Baltic Sea. Some Q
it is found in loose fragments, whic
are washed ashore after a heavy storm
but the greater quantity is secured b
mining in the cliffs Amber is sold b
weight, an average price being $4.5
per pound. The smaller pieces sell a
low as 81 so per pound. and the larges
sometimes bring as high as $40 for tn
same weight. The green-hued ambe
is the most valuable, and the cloudy
as it obscures the nicotine stains,
generally preferred for mouth-piece!
The clear quality is, however, alway
in demand for jewelry. Amber
readily worked into shape by sane
paper and furnishing wheels. 1t ca
be softened by heat and easily ben
For mouth pieces, the great waste
working amber makes it expensiv,
and rubber, celluloid. and other con
positions have been found to be goo
substitutes, though for first-class pipe
nothing can take its place. IN. J
Evening Post.