While I pass most by most, occasionally I come across on antique meerschaum pipe that I really fall in love with, and this is very much one of those. What a face! She looks to me rather like a lioness, and a bit of a sphynx too, and she's arched like the figurehead of a ship, with little cluster of flowers at the tip of the bow. My guess is earlier than later 19th c. on her, but I'm not an expert.
(Meerschaum pipes were carved of the mineral sepiolite, also known as Meerschaum, prized as the perfect material for making pipes as it provided a cool, dry, flavorful smoke.)
Bowl" 2 7/8" x 1 15/16" t. With stem: 5 3/4" l. Good condition. The bowl is threaded, as if the pipe handle, but it does not hold completely tight (as pictured). For the purposes of display, a little museum wax or something could be used.
