Today is a happy day for me. I came home to a package on my porch. The package was from none other than our mountedshriner, aka Dennis. In the package was two of the most beautiful pipes Ive ever seen. I am sending him a great thank you package of cigars and stuff but I cant thank him enough......although Ive been trying to!!
I dont know how to use my new camera so good yet so bear with me. Ill have more indepth pictures tommorrow!!!
First of all, a sweet Turkish Meerschaum, a true carved Lattice....very nice!!!!
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/mrshush511/100_0634-1.jpg) (http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/mrshush511/?action=view%C2%A4t=100_0634-1.jpg)
Second is a very cool Calabash made from briar, Ive already smoked it....it smokes great!!!(see the tobacco pokeing out of it)
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/mrshush511/100_0639-1.jpg) (http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/mrshush511/?action=view%C2%A4t=100_0639-1.jpg)
Thanks again Dennis!!!!
how can you smoke out of something that looks so nice.
I aways wanted a pipe.
That's awesome. I feel like breaking out into a rendition of "for he's a jolly good fellow." :singing:
Fantastic pieces. Such generous gents on this site. I'm glad to be a part of such a good group. I hope I can follow all of your examples.
Very nicely done, Dennis
Two gorgeous pipes.
Dennis you have truly outdone yourself. :bow:
Thats what I said, "Dennis, you've out done yourself", but thats just the kinda guy he is.......a Cigar Geek!!!!!Thanks again Dennis!!!! :dancing:
Thank you all for your kind words. Tim, enjoy those pipes. I know that they are in excellent hands. I knew I would never smoke the meer and I had nightmares about some kid buying it at a garage sale for 25 cents and huffing some cheap herb through it :-0. Post a pic of that meer after you have smoked it enough for the bowl to start to turn a beautiful pale yellow! Thanks again to the best guys on the www. The "Geeks" rock!! :dancing: :dancing: :dancing:
Great gesture Dennis!
Well Dennis, Ive smoked it 6 times already and it is starting to turn color already. Some Meers turn a yellowish color first, some turn a brownish color first but the BEST quality ones turn a pinkish color first....they all end up a golden brown. Ill have you know that this one is turning PINK!!!!WOOOOOHOOOOO!!! That means it is of the highest quality. Also the fact that it has already started turning color means it is high quality. Another way to tell high quality is by the weight, the lighter the better....this one, without the stem, is feather light!!! After talking with some friends "in the know" we are surprised it doesnt have a makers name, but some think this is even better, some of the best Meers dont have any names, just marks.....this one has 3 little circles on the bottom, thats a mark if you ask me. No matter what, this is a very high quality, true Lattice carved Meer, I couldnt be happier.
By true lattice carved I mean that some of the lesser carved lattice pipes just have the circle pattern carved into the surface. This one acctually has little windows cut into the Meerschaum, which when you look into the little holes you see a gap between the outer "cage" and the inner bowl, it looks like the inner bowl was made seperate from the cage then put together......but NO, its all one block. I was assured that only the BEST carvers can do this type of carving. I would have never been able to afford a Meer of this quality.....my buddys are jealous!!!!! and I love it!!!!! :biggrin: Dennis Rocks!!! :dancing:
QuoteBob Cordell - 4/30/2009 9:00 AM
Great gesture Dennis!
Thanks Bob.........It was my pleasure. Especially after I saw how happy it made the "Dukester!!" :biggrin:
Nicely done Dennis. :bigthumbs:
Very Nice. Never have tried the pipe maybe I will
Brian
Quotepodman28 - 4/30/2009 1:00 PM
Nicely done Dennis. :bigthumbs:
Thanks Tim......... :thanx:
What did you pay? I shopped around for my Turkish hand-carved block meerschaum pipe, the same as your, more or less. Stores were charging $150. Online store were charging $120. Ebay was charging $75-85. I made a deal with the seller and bought it from him off-ebay, which is against the rules, and paid only $65. It is the best pipe I've ever had in my entire life and it's the only one I smoke now. I buy 6mm filters online for it. Pipe-smoking is so much more enjoyable now! It's cooler and milder and doesn't burn my tongue like it used to. I'll send a picture of my pipe later today. I anyone wants to buy one, contact me. I'll show you where. Also let me see your choice before you order it or you might wind up with a miniature pipe or one with a tiny bowl and no room for filters. I learned the hard way.
Here it is:
And another view:
I agree, buying a meerschaum is a tricky thing! There are many different qualitys of block and, like Larry says, when you think you are getting a great deal, it ends up being a minature pipe that holds a thimble full. Ive been quite involved in the online pipe community for several months now. If your going to buy a Meer, use a maker with a good reputation, heres a couple: http://altinokpipe.com/pipes.asp http://www.meerschaumstore.com/
these two places are well known for their quality Meers, also look for Tekin Meerschaums....they are great quality. http://www.tekinmeerschaumpipeshop.com/
Those are awesome looking pipes guys. Tim, not sure how you convinced Dennis to gift that to you, but wow, that is awesome. You're quite the guy Dennis.
I have been fascinated by meerschaum pipes for a long time (I first learned about them in a science fiction book, of all things). Perhaps one day I will bite the bullet and pick one up. In addition to the links in this thread, I found this site too ... http://www.meerschaum.com/