, 1891-02-11
MEERSCHAUM CARVING.
IT IS 4 DIFFICULT AND ALMOST UN-
KNOWN ART IN AMERICA


A Boston Artist Tells what He Knows
About the subJect-some Examples of
His work-SomethinE About Himself
and His Business-HoW Hs Proceeds
There's a curious little tobacco store on
one OF the leading South End thorough
fares. 1t has been there for many years,
and is so small that Que might pass by a
hundred times without ever noticing IT,
The door opening into this little shop is
Just of the sidewalk, and suspended over
the door is a large Eilded wooden pipe,
which serves rs n sign 20 indicate the char
Acter Of the place.
While sauuter.ng down the street the
other afternoon the writer's attention WAS
attracted TO this little shop by noticing two
or three men gazing iuterestedly into its
narrow window, and he paused To see what
they were admirinE Being interested in
meerschnum pipes, the young newspaper
man thought he would like to look more
closely at some Of those In the display. SO
he opened the door and stepped into the
place
1t WAS a curious little room. perhaps 20
feet long by : or S feet wide, and near the
door was a small showcase, one end Of
which contained a few boxes Of cigars and
the rest WIS filed with pipes, mostly Of
meerschaum. many Of them in very odd
patterns The shelves behind the showcase
were piled high with all kinds Of smokers
articles and small boxes containing pieces
OF raw meerschaum aud amber.
TUE sHoP
And on the opposite wall were hung sew
eral very quaint pictures. At the back Of
the shop was a small lathe with a foot
pedal, and beside IL was a kit OF tools pc
culiAr TO the work Of pipe making At this
lathe the proprietor OF the place was indus
triously working on a piece Of amber, to be
used As the mouthpiece Of a pipe, and he
looked up As the door opened and the young
man approached him When meerschaum
carving was spoken Of he became enthusi
astic, and wa very willing to talk.
Did you make those pipes in the win
dowl" was asked
'Ies. sir; and those in the showcase, too.
But those pipes are quite plain beside some
OF the carving | have done There is very
little meerschaum carving lone in Boston,
and, in fact, there are but few first class
artists In meerschaum in this country,
and even those came from some foreign
place TheEr are a good many workmen
here who cut plain pipes out OF meer-
schaum, because that work, like any other
trade, can be acquired; but in order for a
man to do any fine carving he must be II
born artist In this country men learn
only "A part Of a trade, but where I came
from a young man is Obliged 70 learn his
trade from beginning to end.
My father was turner TO the king Of
Prussia, aud so, you see. he must have been
a fine artist Ny brother and myself were
brougl; up in the art Of carving. aud my
brother was the finest carver | ever saw.
either in meerschaum or wood. | wish you
could see some examples Of his work. How
ever, | will show you some specimens Of
carving that / have made. and try and tell
you what you want 70 know.
SOAKING II MEEEsCHAUM
When an order comes for "A pipe / some
times have to look through an entire box
70 find a piece Of meerschaum that will suit
the design I wish 20 make. fthen soak the
piece IN cold water until It sinks. which
will take from fifteen to twenty minutes.
/ then saw the block as near IA possible to
the size required. so rs not to waste the
meerschAum, and rough out the pipe with
a knife. Placing the block on the lathe !
cut the plain part Of the pipe, and bore the
stem TO the bowl II the pipe Il 10 be carved
| lay It away until thoroughly dried.
The m-eerschRum has to be hard in order
10 carve H. When the carving IS completed
the pipe Is boiled in beeswax and then
polished After the amber stem has been
inserted the pipe is finished and ready for
the customer. II Is not generally known,
but a meerschaum pipe would never color
so beautifully II il were not boiled in wax.
An ordinary meerschaum pipe can be
made in three days, but il it Is TO be carved
OF course nc specified time can be stated.
An artist might be many weeks, or even
months, on a single pipe"
ID you have many orders for elaborate
~desigus'"
Not so many As | used TO have years ago.
/ suppose II | had a nice store down town /
should get more orders for fine work. But
Americans who can afford to pay several
hundre dollars for a beautiful piece Of
abroad. oftentimes as IA souvenir of some
country which they have visited. | have
been in this country over twenty years, and
at first | y worked for the largest mccrschaum
dealer In New York, A first class artist
can carve meerschaum into almost any con.
ceiyable design.
II haven't any very large specimens Of
my work here now. but here are a few
small ones which | think will interest you"
EXQUISITE EXAMPLES
An eNquisitely carved pipe represented a
hunter with his gun leveled, stealing eau
uously around a stump (the bowl, and
ready to fire at three deer, which are
placed in realistic poses over the stem. Ii
the work OF weeks TO make this pipe.
A bulls head with horns Of amber was a
notable example
Some Of his best work. the artist said.
was made from photographs. Shortly
after the war he made a great many
meerschRum pipes, on which were carved
the bustS OF the leading generals. such us
Grant, Sheridan and Sherman. Nowadays
a customer often wants a carving Of the
bust Of his f~ayorite actor, singer or public
man. and also Of the head Of his horse or
dng. etc One Of the largest carvings he
ever made was "a war piece, in which
twelve figures were represented.
Another design consisted Of dive birds
artistically arranged about the pipe. \
unique design represented a baseball
pitcher and catcher in playing attitudes.
a hne piece OF carving represented a snake
curling around skull, in the latter being
a hole for a cigarette.
This would seem To point a moral, and is
certainly a very unique idea.
a medallion about the size OF a half
dollar is really the finest piece Of carving
Of all II represents the piazza Of a house,
on which Is u cable with a man and dog
standing beside it. The figures could not
be brought out by the naked eye. but un
der the microscope they are marvelously
clear and distinct-Boston Globe
Marc Clausum.
III.