The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25
PIPES AND PIPE MAKERS
Curious Things to be seen and Heard in =
PIPE Factory in Nnsann street.


Curious Things to be seen and Heard in =
Pipe Factory in Nassau Street.
Nassau street, between Beekman and
Cedar. is built double. There Is a row OF shops
and stores In front with n narrow sidewalk and
another row Of factories behind. There are
| many curious things made in these factories,
which front on small areaways and old-time
courts. Silverware, canes. badges, and small
machinery OF all kinds are made there. Be-
sides there are several pipe factories. One OF
the most interesting OF these pipe factories is
near John street. 1t is a room on the first
floor lighted by two windows which never havo
a ray OF sunlight. Tho man in charge OF the
factory was born in Austria and learned the
profession, which his father had before him.
He is man we'll along toward so years OF age,
with gray hair and moustache. He wears a
pair OF gold trimmed spectacles. and when he
works puts on gold-rimmed eyeglasses over
them. lie Is veryproud OF his business.
My father lived in Vienna in the old time"
said he. He was genius. lie passed six ex-
aminations In his profession. In amber meer-
schaum. rubber. ivory, wood, and metals. At
that time man had to serve an apprentice
ship for a long term before he became a Jour
neyman; then he had to travel around and see
the world before he was allowed to open a shop.
IL u
sion, and passed the examinations without
having to serve an Apprenticeship. He proved
th Rba ne was ar. not an apprentice ,h ,0,
which show that both the father and the son
were geniuses in their, proiessi0n There is
baum, tho man who has charge had made u
set of chessmen The box is one and quarter
inches in diameter by half an inch Tin height,
There is room in 1t for tho whole set. He has
things which he made when he was niteen
which show the kind of an apprenticeship he
He does not show. these things to all of his
customers. but he keeps them put away In a
Of them Is an am Der skull. 1t is less than three
quarters of an inch high, but the bones aud
articutations are distinctly markell. The carv-
ing Is so fine that a magnlfying glass has to be
used to see it in detail. Another is holder.
where monk with hol low head for cigarel tcs
Is laughing, but 1t requires magnify!ng glass
to SEQ the lines OF his mlrth. one OF the best
pieces of carving which also inculcates a
bowl A snake crawIs around the skull and
holds the VINE bowl In place. The wine bowl
is followed out for cigarettes. The most costly
conch shell close to her breast. Her scaly tail
Is twined about IA large branch Of white coral
smoked. Each scale is perfect. The mermaid
has much much more n, re- expression In her face than
boSs6 se SE st s in 09 Pk
schaum on which to carve the lines.
NJ The ,, man In charge had q pride in his work;
showed him the raw amber and meerschaum.
the half,flnished pipes and the finished carv-
lngS Inc meerSChaum comes from Turkey in
boxes. A box holds about fifty pounds and is
worth from twenty to three hundred dollars,
according TO the size and quality Of the pieces:
rounded. The amber looks like beeswax or
large pieces OF resin. 1t comes In pieces. and
Meerschaum to make a flve-dolar pine costs
about two dol lars and half. The amber tips
raw cost about one-quarter or one half as much.
When an order comes for pipe the proprie-
tor goes through the stock Of meerschaum to
get piece ,e. out OF which the pipe can be cut
the meerschaum is wasted. though the chips
are often saved and made into imitatio meer-
scaau Ppes Inc er Is first cut on
the nipe. If the cutting shows holes or cracks
the piece is cast aside. Then it Is soaked In
shape with a knife. Then q hole is drilled
through 1t and 1t is turned with half motion.
smoothed of when dry. boiled In wax, and
polished then 1t Is ready 70 be sold.
The am Der Is worked with chisel and turn
wit it An H. old operator takes the piece q
chisel. the forefnger of the left hand serving
as guide for the ehisel TO play: When it Is
the required size. Then It is put in the same
turning wheel and hole is bored through it.
pines which sci for 50 and IS cents. it does
lot tdhe ulOIe tuHll u 'ludrt6r or u uaf DOur 10
finish one OF these stems. A stem for more
costly pipe will take day. The shortest time
in which q good meerschaum pipe can be IN AIDE
is three days. That is for a plain pipe. II tho
pipe is to be carved that time has to be added.
Workmen have spent months on carving one
pipe
The dust and chips from the amber and
meerschaum are saved. The amber dust Is
melted and made into amberine. The meer-
schaum dust i chopped up and worked into a
paste. from which imitation meerschaum pipes
are made 1t Is a common idoa that real meer-
schaum can be told from imitation meer-
Schaum by the fact that real meerschaum
floats on water. but imitation meerschaum
made hich will color better than real meer-
schaum does. though it does not last so long
and the color 10 likely to come in streaks. 1t ia
hard for man who Is not in the business to
tell real from an imitation meerschaum.
IL Is hard to make an estimate OF the cost OF
n pipe from the cost of the materials, as so
SINAI a proportion Of the raw material can be
used, To get a stem for a big pipe whole box
may be gone through without finding any suita-
BILE piece. The best quality OF meerschaum
frequently has air holes and cracks In it,
- A visit 10 this factory would repay any smoker.
There are the original boxes In which the
finished and pipes almost finished. and II you
get on the right side Of the proprietor. he will
show you carvings Of which he has been proud
since he was boy. One OF them. which Is ten
derby wrapped up. he carved when he was Is
years old. While he was showing 1t to a man q
Tow weeks ago piece was broken off. The
piece Is chip hardly as large as big pinhead.
but it has been tenderly put away with the
original carving in the box where 1t was placed