Meerschaum pipes are some of the most decorative pipes available. Due to the ease at which meerschaum can be carved, it is relatively easy to carve a wide array of shapes.
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Meerschaum is actually hydrated magnesium silicate, a mineral which is found in shallow deposits. It's largely found around the Turkish city of Eskisehir and is valued for its plasticity, allowing it to be easily carved. This gives rise to a high number of decorative and figural shapes.
Meerschaum has been used in pipe making since the 17th century and along with clay, was the most common material for pipe production until the introduction of briar in the 19th century. The word meerschaum actually translates to sea foam in German, pointing towards its natural white color and surprisingly low weight.
A very porous mineral, meerschaum absorbs parts of the tobacco during smoking, gradually changing color to a more golden brown. The older, often smoked meerschaum pipes are actually prized due to this distinctive coloring.
When choosing a meerschaum pipe it's advisable to make sure that the pipe is actually carved from a solid block of meerschaum, as they can be made from meerschaum dust. This is collected after carving from a block, mixed with an emulsifier, and then finally pressed into a pipe shape. This process produces pipes that are not absorbent, therefore not coloring and lacking the quality smoke you get from a block carved pipe.
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