The Portland daily press., 1898-09-21
MEtRSCHAUM PIPES.
characteristics of the Styles Which Some
Of the Worlds Smokers Prefer.
IN. Y. SUM-

Most of the plain meerschaum pipes sold
nowadays are of practically the same
type as briar pipes, and finished and
mounted in the same manner. OF the
once familiar meerschaum, that was sub
stantially meerschaum bowl with a
short apturned stem part, into which a
weichsel stempiecs was inserted, compare
lively few are now sold. Many of the
meersohaum pipee of today are of the bull
dog pattern, and many are made likewise
straight-stemmed, but with bowls in
various rounded forms; and there are
briar- shaped pipes with droop stems.
The mountings are silver or gold .ba nds,
or ferrules around the stem part, where
the pit or mouth piece is attached, and,
on some pipes, a mounting around the
top Of the bowl. In THESE pipe moun1lngs
those produced by Americans excel al
Others in suitability and design. With
their production in modern styles and in
forms adapting them to the most conven-
len and advantageous use has come an
increased demand for pipes OF meer-
schauIn.
Such are the pipes usually bought by
the American or Eng1ishman, who, if he
smokes a meerschaum wants a stout,
stocky. seryiceable pipe. There are sold,
however some meersohaumS that are
modelled more on clay pipe lines, with
the stem part and mouthpiece little II any
longer but very much slenderer and light
er than those parts OF the pipes more com,
monty sold. But while the American and
the Englishnan prefer generally when
they buy meerscahum good solid pipe,
the Frenchman who smokes a meerschaum
wants a long and slender pipe, as also
does the Italian. The plain meerschaum
pipe made for the French or Italian
smoker is in design substantially Like q
CLAW pipe; with a bowl of the same gen
eral shape, though of finer lines, and
with the same long. slender stem. But
made of such material as meeTscnaum
and beautifully finished, and with. a long,
slendsr, delicate nouthDiece OF amber,
there is no danger of the pipe being mis-
taken for clay pipe. Simple, and at the
same time quaint, as such pipes may be
at first appear to one unaccustomeds to
them. they may easily be objects OF
beauty, as was certainly, in an especial
degree, one seen in a shop where many
such pipes were displayed. 1t was finished
in ali but the polishing; was about a
foot in length, including the delicate
amber mouthpiece, which would measure
perhaps four inches, and the meerschauni
was OF a smooth and milky whlteness,
while the long, slender amber mouthp1ece
was of light yellow, clouded With white
Such pipes are made with the bowls
placed at different angles, as is the case
with clay pipes, and the bows are made
rather thin walled than otherwise, In
keeping with the general character OF the
pipe. These slender meerschaum pipes
are made, some OF them, with the stem
fashioned to present twist in appear
ance, but most of them are made with the
stem straight and smooth. They are
made, including the amber bit or mouth
piece, in various lengths, the price of the
pipe depending on the length, and as
with other meerschaums on the quality
Such pipes have been made thirty-six
inches in length. Phi es of from eight to
twelve inches in length are the pipes of
this kind most commonly sold.