I woke up early on Saturday morning and was looking around my box of pipes searching for something new to smoke. I have a good collection, but I find myself gravitating to only a few pipes. These are good smokers and I can count on them to deliver whenever I pack a bowl. I have others that are a little finicky and smoke good sometimes and then not so good other times. I am cautious with these pipes since I do not get many occasions to smoke my pipe on a quiet Saturday morning with my coffee. I finally decided on an old Meerschaum that has been in my collection for quite a few years. This is a classic 1930’s bent bulldog that is perfect for a Saturday morning. It hangs perfectly when clenched and has just enough bend that smoke stays out of your eyes if you are reading. This is a classic shape and is perfect in both form and function. At one time I smoked this pipe every morning before work for about four months, but after that I put it away and have not smoked it in a few years.
This Saturday morning I packed a bowl of Early Morning Pipe and had an hour of relaxation. The pipe smoked great and did not gurgle once, thankfully because I left my cleaners in the house. It was so good I packed a second bowl and just sat there and enjoyed it. I thought about my friend who so graciously gave me the pipe and how he said he enjoyed the pipe whenever he smoked it. He was nice enough to make a new stem for the pipe and he tried to clean the old case and fix the hinges, but I like that the case is falling apart and the hinges are broken. There is something about this pipe that I love, I wonder who owned it before me and did he/she enjoy it as much as I do? I also wonder what kind of tobaccos were smoked in it, where did this pipe travel and was it a favorite in the previous owner’s collection? I do not do this with all of my pipes but this meerschaum makes me think about the previous owners for some reason. I do not think I have ever had a bad smoke out of this meerschaum and it seems to make any tobacco taste just a little better. The Orientals in Early Morning pipe are highlighted in this pipe and Virginias have an added sweetness I do not get in my briar pipes.
When I was done I sadly put the pipe back in the case with the hope that I will have another relaxing Saturday morning in the next few weeks.
Good morning Kevin, I would simply make that meerschaum your Saturday pipe for when you have nothing else planned, but a little stress free relaxing for the day (maybe even Sunday). I believe that is what a meerschaum should be used for. The briar is used more for at work, on the way to and from work, fishing, etc. Meerschaum, you need some “quality” time to enjoy what it offers to you.
And, I totally agree with you on prior ownership. I myself have purchased an old Kaywoodie Oversized off of EBay, which had this big and beautiful rectangular bowl. Just a big chunk of briar. You always think who owned it, where did it travel to, what kinds of tobacco were burned in the bowl, and what did it observe itself during those sessions?
Have a great morning… Mark
Mark, I agree 100%. I think if I had a meerschaum at work it would be in rough shape after a few weeks. Thanks for the comment. Kevin