Missouri Meerschaum Find

[stdly]

I retired about 7 weeks ago at 65 so I have been going thru the boxes in the basement that have been there since we moved in 9 years ago.

I found a set of Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes I bought this around 12 years ago on eBay. I can’t find a stem like this on Missouri Meerschaum site so I am not sure the stem is original. It does fit very well in all three bowls It’s time to give them a try.

I have found a few pipes I have never smoked not sure why I was saving them. Now I have more time I think I will have to break in a few more. I ain’t gonna live forever and they will probably end up in a thrift store when I’m gone.

 

[Alpine]

Nice find! A churchwarden stem useful for three bowls. I have never seen such a thing, I bet they are quite rare collectibles now.

pier

 

[deluxestogie]

Yikes! MM cobs in satin! That may be outlawed in Missouri.

New pipes are always fun.

Bob

 

[Plinsc]

Great find! I’ve never seen a set like that.

 

[deluxestogie]

I've never seen the MM logo sticker that appears on all three pipes. My MM experience goes back over 50 years. In my on-line search of MM pipe logos, I see that specific logo in a European pipe museum's collection.

Bob

 

[stdly]

Hey BOB good info thanks.
I guess I shouldn't of smoke the apple bowl so soon, but it was worth it and two more to go.
I wonder what the two bowls are coated with it's on the top too and I smoked some of it?
Maybe I should send a pic to MM and see if they have any info.

 

[deluxestogie]

The "white" one is plaster filled, and the two shiny ones are varnished. That's standard for MM.

From Cobs to Pipes - CornCobPipe.com

From Cobs to Pipes The first step in making corn cob pipes is to grow and harvest corn. When Missouri Meerschaum began production in the 1860s, cobs from any type of field corn were gathered to make corn cob pipes. However, years of hybridization modified corn to produce smaller cobs. As a...

corncobpipe.com

Bob

 

[Old Gasman]

Great find, we tend not to have basements here but if i did have one chances are all I'd find in it would be spiders.

 

[stdly]

I sent a pic to MM and got this reply very nice of them to answer.
That is a Smoker’s Set. The Smoker’s Set in the plastic box first appears in the catalogs from the late 1960’s or early 1970’s. It was offered through 1980 but is no longer on the price list for 1981. In 1980, the last year it was offered, the suggested retail cost for the set was $2.50 per set. That is a real beauty! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks!
Marilyn
Missouri Meerschaum Co.

 

[deluxestogie]

That is great info. In 1970, if I recall correctly, a single MM cob pipe cost 79 cents.

Bob

 

[stdly]

That is great info. In 1970, if I recall correctly, a single MM cob pipe cost 79 cents.

Bob

Plastic case three bowls a nice stem for $2.50 a single pipe 79 cents.
Wow it's hard to believe they sold that cheap, how did they make any money?
I already smoked the apple like I said, but I wonder if this is old enough they would want it for their on site museum, maybe I will ask them.

 

[deluxestogie]

how did they make any money?

Ha! In 1970, the payments on my brand new Chevy Nova (selling price, $2200) were $62/month. Camel cigarettes were selling at 22 cents a pack. Gasoline was between 20 and 25 cents per gallon. TV broadcasts were free. Between 1970 and 1975, I lived on about $300/month. Of course, I was an impoverished student, but was comfortable enough to purchase occasional pipes (nice briar ~$25) and occasional, premium cigars (35 cents a stick for my favorite Hoyo de Monterrey #55). A box of 25 Davidoff Cuban cigars cost me $42, with free shipping from Geneva, Switzerland (which I purchased for my graduation).

MM corncob pipes were on display in every drug store and grocery store. An awful lot of price inflation happens over the span of a half-century.

Bob

 

[stdly]

I sent MM another email offering to donate the pipe set I explained I had smoked the one bowl and this was their reply.

That is very generous, Steve. We are always happy to receive items for our museum if you do wish to donate the set. You may send it to us at 400 W. Front St., Washington, MO 63090. It is perfectly understandable, however, if you would prefer to enjoy the set yourself. There’s something pretty cool about being able to actually use something so historical.
Thanks!
Marilyn

I like the something so historical part.
What would you do send it yes or no.

@Bob wow your memory is way better than mine.

 

[deluxestogie]

In December of 1998, while hiking in a remote part of the Grand Canyon, I found a nearly uncirculated 1900 US "Barber" Quarter (San Francisco mint mark) lying fully exposed in the gravel of Grapevine drainage, just above the crossing of the Tonto Trail. The nearest point of the South Rim is over 2 miles south of this location, so it could not have landed there after being tossed from the rim. (In 1900, a quarter was a lot of money! About 1 hour's salary.) My assumption is that, given the coins condition, it was probably lost by a hiker or prospector shortly after 1900. I would guess it was dropped by one of the Kolb brothers (i.e. of Grand Canyon's Kolb Studio fame), during one of his explorations of the eastern reaches of the inner canyon.

After I returned home, I mounted it in a plastic coin case, with a typed-out history of my discovery of it. I kept it in a little display cabinet as a souvenir for about a decade, then realized that only 3 people on earth ever glanced at it. I contacted the folks at the Canyon. It is now a part of the Grand Canyon Museum Collection.

Bob

 

[stdly]

In December of 1998, while hiking in a remote part of the Grand Canyon, I found a nearly uncirculated 1900 US "Barber" Quarter (San Francisco mint mark) lying fully exposed in the gravel of Grapevine drainage, just above the crossing of the Tonto Trail. The nearest point of the South Rim is over 2 miles south of this location, so it could not have landed there after being tossed from the rim. (In 1900, a quarter was a lot of money! About 1 hour's salary.) My assumption is that, given the coins condition, it was probably lost by a hiker or prospector shortly after 1900. I would guess it was dropped by one of the Kolb brothers (i.e. of Grand Canyon's Kolb Studio fame), during one of his explorations of the eastern reaches of the inner canyon.

After I returned home, I mounted it in a plastic coin case, with a typed-out history of my discovery of it. I kept it in a little display cabinet as a souvenir for about a decade, then realized that only 3 people on earth ever glanced at it. I contacted the folks at the Canyon. It is now a part of the Grand Canyon Museum Collection.

Bob

Very cool story, good call Bob.
So your vote would be yes send it.
I already have it packed and ready to ship, it would be so cool if other people could enjoy it.
I hope it will live on for a long time and will now not end up in a thrift store one day.

 

[deluxestogie]

A nice pipe is just a nice pipe. An historic pipe is a story.

Bob