The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-09

pipe is passed after it is made
ne latest fancy in meerschaum col
lecung is for pipes carved into the exact
portraits of well known society or public
people. For instance, there is a Fifth
avenue resident Mr.. Demuth, who has the
portraits Of all the presidents of the
United States. from Washington to Har-
rlsoh, each one carved on a valuable pipe,
which Is mounted with wonderful green
or gray amber, and placed in a separate
case lined with crimson velvet, the pipes
peihg arranged in clips so as to stand out
and show 10 the best advantage. This
collection was recently on view at the
Academy Of Art and was universally adj
Illred. Mr.. Demuth has pipes bearing
me portraits of women prominent in the
500 and Others embodying remem-
brances of the summer girl"
To obtain pipes bearing real portraits
II IS trst necessary to secure three photo
graphs of the persons whose portrait is
desired. There must be a full face and the
two profiles taken at one and the same
sitting. They are given to the carver,
who, taking the meerschaum, by degrees
evolves first one view of the face and then
the other, the progress being gagged not
by the direct scrutiny of the eye, but by
reflection in a mirror, that enabling the
artist to detect defects which would es-
cape the direct view of the eye. If it is not
head with the emptiness of the pipe bowl,
tiny stauettes not two inches high can be
produced and set on pedestals, looking
every bit as we'll as ivory, at a tenth the
cost. The average price for producing
portrait pipe is about $50.
Meerschaum pipes are in existence for
which fabulous prices would be asked,
and many Of them have curious histories.
One of the finest specimens of modern art
was made for the Worlds Fair by a New
York artist and depicted the landing Of
Columbus, each side of the pipe being
different, and each figure being cut clear
and clean, and not merely silhouetted
against a back wall or some artificial sup
port. This pipe was valued at $1,000 and
was bought by well known collector.
Another is the great Napoleon pipe, which
has for design the meeting of Macbeth
and Banquo with the three witches. This
pipe was presented by the artist to Ma
poleon III. But after his downfall and
death it came back to this city into the
hands of a collector from whom money
could not buy IL. 1t is eight inches long
with a mouth piece of amber of the same
length, which length of amber meant
great deal more in those days than it
does now.
Recently method of COMPRISING am
Der has been discovered, and a stem eight
feet long would present no difficulties now,
whereas at that time piece of amber
was valued as much by it's length and size
as it was by its color and general quality
The largest meerschaum pipe ever made
in this country was a bulls head with am
Der horns. The bowl was twenty-five
inches long and the amber twenty-four,
and the whole was valued at $500. Some
of the work on the smaller specimens is
truly marvellous, especially the lace work,
which makes one wonder how tool small
70, 2 hepD femnRFa0-
for the making and tempering of the tool
is even more marvellous than the carv-
ing, for that may be assisted with the
optic glass.
The most interesting pipe in the city is
to be found in Nassau street. Its age
is beyond computation, but at one time 1t
belonged to Todleben, the great Russian
general who smoked it in his journeys
and campaigns, ranking it even in 1910 as
a curio When he had suddenly to retreat
in the Crimean war, he lost it by leaving
it in his tent, and it was found by an Eng
fish soldier, who, after the close OF the
war, sent back to him. But in the
Russian war he lost the pipe again,
in much the same way as before, and this
time forever, for It came to this country
with an emigrant, the brother of the Turk
who found it, and fell into the hands of
pipe expert who identified it. He has had
the wonderful carvings on the stem re-
stored at a great cost and to-day the
pipe is as beautiful as ever it was. The
Trojan war supplies the subject of the de-
signs.
Prince Bismarck is a great pipe collec-
tor. and the gem of his collection has a.
curious history. Many years ago as Bis
marck was strolling in the suburbs Of
FREDERICKSBURG with his two hounds, he
was accosted by a Bohemian peddler and
asked to buy a plain meerschaum pipe of
the type that Bismarck most affected. At
first Bismarck declined, but the peddler
claimed for the pipe power of forecast,
and told him he would serve three en-
perors as minister and that three impor-
tant changes in his life would be foretold
nv accidents Detailing the pipe. He has
since served three emperors. Two days
before the historic day, when he was re-
fused an audience the stem of his pipe
separated and came to pieces. Later he
Clipped a piece from the side of the bowl
and within a month he was practically dis
missed by the present emperor. The third
sign is yet to come. 1t nearly came the
dav before the present emperor paid his
famous visit to the great ex-chancellor,
for the pipe slipped and fell on his knee,
hut without breaking. This is no hear
saw. but was told at a recent family din
ner at the house of his son, Prince Bis
marck, where he was smoking the famous
pipe, and told the history of it to the
guests. W. I. POND
Copyrighted.