Smooth burnished Missouri Meerschaum pipe, semi-curved fancy model with black plastic mouthpiece. Patriot rating. The pipe is very cheerful and casual, with an original design that has become a classic over time. The pipe is made from cob by the legendary Missouri Meerschaum Company, which grows the cobs itself and then processes them in its factory, established over 150 years ago. After leaving them to dry for over two years, the bowls are processed and sorted by size. The bowl is then coated with chalk, which, once dry, is smoothed to make the pipe more durable over time. Finally, the pipe is assembled with a wooden stem and plastic mouthpiece. A metal ring on the stem helps to make it more solid. Some series are also sprayed with a thin layer of lacquer for a more 'shiny' result. The finished pipe is hard and durable, ready for action. It is a classic, especially in the summer months, because it is cool, undemanding and inexpensive. The taste of the smoke is unique, with hints of cornmeal mixed with that of our tobacco. The sensation is unusual but very pleasant. The plastic mouthpiece is less pleasant, regardless of the quality of the workmanship. The pipe is large and stands out for its capacious bowl and excellent smokeability in all situations. Its lightness makes it ideal for smoking while walking or sitting comfortably in an armchair. The price is higher than the classic pipes because the model is handmade. The bowl is not coloured but burnished by passing a flame over the cob.
An important feature to be aware of is that, sooner or later, all cob pipes burn out. Depending on the skill of the smoker, its life can be longer or shorter. This is a fact that must be accepted, but it does not detract from the magic of smoking such a pipe, thanks in part to its low cost. In my many years in the pipe world, I have had only one customer who managed to smoke his cob pipe regularly every summer without ever burning it.
Missouri has long been known as the 'corn cob pipe capital of the world'. The Missouri Meerschaum Company is the oldest and largest manufacturer of fresh, sweet-smoking corn cob pipes in the world. Their story began in 1869, when a Dutch immigrant carpenter named Henry Tibbe first started producing corn cob pipes. Tibbe's pipes proved to be a very popular item with his customers, and he soon began full-time production. To date, Missouri Meerschaum is the first and only surviving company producing corn cob pipes. These pipes are smoked and loved all over the world.
The pipe on sale is a sample model like the one shown in the photos. As the pipe is mass-produced, there may be slight differences in size, which may vary by plus or minus 1 mm. The actual colour of the pipe may vary slightly from the photo as each pipe is a natural product.