Collection: Meerschaum

The first recorded use of meerschaum for making pipes was around 1723. It quickly became prized as the perfect material for providing a cool, dry, flavorful smoke. Because of the porous nature of meerschaum, moisture and tobacco tar are drawn deep into the stone. Meerschaum became a premium substitute for the clay pipes of the day and remains prized to this day, although since the mid-1800s briar pipes have become the most common pipes for smoking.

When smoked, meerschaum pipes gradually change color, and old meerschaum pipes will turn incremental shades of yellow, orange, red, and amber from the base on up. 

There are two variations of Meerschaum to consider when purchasing a Meerschaum pipe... Block Meerschaum is the highest quality, and provides the best smoking characteristics, but it's also more expensive. Block Meerschaum is carved by a skilled artisan from a single block of solid Meerschaum. Pressed Meerschaum, also called Composite Meerschaum is a lower quality product that is made from the leftover materials from block pipes. They gather all the Meerschaum dust, scrapings, bits, and pieces and grind them up to a fine powder, mix it with a hardener and literally press it back into blocks which are then carved into Pressed or Composite Meerschaum pipes. Pressed Meerschaum pipes are usually half the cost of a comparable Block Meerschaum pipe.