A meerschaum pipe can be the ultimate pleasure for a pipe smoker. Unfortunately, however, there are many sellers who will sell you an inferior pipe, and still call it "meerschaum." I hope to be able to clear up some of the confusion based on my own experiences with buying meerschaum pipes on and off ebay. I mainly want to help people who are just discovering the joys of meerschaum smoking, are looking for an alternative to briar pipes, or are wanting to find the perfect gift for the pipe smoker in their life!  While I prefer a meerschaum pipe, you may want to learn about others; check my guide on Choosing Your First Pipe to find out more.  If this guide is helpful, please let me know by voting accordingly. 

• WHY MEERSCHAUM?  Good quality meerschaum naturally gives a cool, sweet smoke; meerschaum is porous and a natural filter that will absorb tars and nicotine. As the meerschaum absorbs the tar and nicotine, it colors to a beautiful golden to reddish brown, increasing the value of the pipe as well.  A good quality meerschaum pipe will last much more than a lifetime and would be great to pass down to your kids, grandkids, etc. 

• WHO SHOULD YOU BUY FROM?: Only buy Meerschaum pipes from someone on ebay who is reputable and specializes in them, or at least has sold a good number of them. NEVER BUY FROM A PAWN SHOP, OR OTHER SIMILAR RESELLERS ON EBAY! The best sellers will even offer to buy your pipe back if it isn't up to your standards. A pawn shop or similar seller will never offer this kind of deal. As always, read the seller's feedback carefully, and go back several months when looking it up.

• CHEAPNESS VS. QUALITY: A good Meerschaum pipe is not cheap, but is well worth the expense. A general rule of mine is to avoid any seller who is offering any meerschaum pipes for less than $30.  You  just can't get a good pipe, import it from Turkey, and then resell it for that cheap!  A seller of good quality pipes will avoid selling cheap ones, and vice-versa; stick with the sellers of quality pipes!  The cheap skulls, dragon claws, and hands may look nice in the small ebay pictures, but you'll see the difference when they arrive, and you'll never get the cool, sweet smoke of good quality meerschaum. What's more, these cheap pipes will never color like good meerschaum. Even though you should definitely rotate pipes often (such as a different one each day of the week), it would be better to purchase one good quality meerschaum pipe than to have six or seven cheap ones. 

• THE MOUTHPIECE (or stem or bit): One of the best ways that I have found to determine if a meerschaum pipe is cheap at first glance is by the mouthpiece; lower quality pipes have very plain looking mouthpieces (and often colors like bright yellow), whereas a better quality pipe will have a more ornate mouthpiece with ribbing or some kind of design.  NEVER BUY A PIPE ON WHICH THE MOUTHPIECE SCREWS DIRECTLY INTO THE MEERSCHAUM.  When you clean a pipe like that, the meerschaum shank will wear out, your mouthpiece will not fit tightly, and the meerschaum may actually crack or break around the mouthpiece.  There should be some kind of insert between the meerschaum and the mouthpiece that stays in the pipe permanently.  Always ask if you don't see it right away.

• SIZE: This is much more important than you would think; a larger pipe will hold more tobacco, meaning you get a longer smoke.  Size really does matter!  A larger pipe is also much easier to fill and to clean, and it will just feel better in your hand.  Many of the low-quality pipes are fairly small, and even some good quality pipes are just too small to smoke.  Look or ask for the bore size and the length and width of the pipe - most sellers will already have listed this on the auction.  Again, check the feedback, as some sellers falsely list their pipes as half an inch or more larger than they really are.  Don't be fooled by the words "large" or "full-sized" in the description - only pay attention to the measurements.  The hole or bore size should be MORE than 1/2 inch (or about 2 cm) in diameter; the pipe itself should be at least 1.5 inches, or 4 cm wide (otherwise, the walls will be too thin), and 2.5 - 3 inches long without the stem, or 6 inches or more with the stem. 

• LOOK FOR BLOCK MEERSCHAUM: if the seller doesn't claim a pipe is block meerschaum, then don't bid or buy until you find out.  Block meerschaum is much more desirable, so if it isn't labeled as such, then it probably isn't.  Block meerschaum means a single piece of meerschaum that can hold incredibly detailed carving.  The other type is pressed meerschaum, which is ground meerschaum that is mixed with glues and formed, then carved - it smokes different, does not color well, and will usually have chunky carving, or will be found in a calabash pipe.  Block meerschaum is lighter and more porous, and so will feel lighter than you would expect when you hold it.  Pressed meerschaum, or imitation meerschaum will feel heavier; even if you can't tell by weight, you'll know after smoking a few bowls.  Simply stated, if it isn't block meerschaum, then don't buy it.

• CARVINGS AND DESIGNS: Do not buy a pipe just based on looks - the most beautiful pipe may not smoke well at all, as I have found out in the past. This goes against what most meerschaum sellers will tell you; they want you to buy the most beautiful, and therefore, most expensive pipe they have!  When you do find a good pipe, using the guidelines that I've given, THEN pay attention to the designs or details of the carving. If you are purchasing for someone else, would you rather them be able to enjoy the pipe for years to come, or just to have a pretty pipe that they never use?

• THE CASE: You want to protect your investment, so you MUST have a case for your pipe.  Meerschaum is fairly soft, and will get scratched and dinged during even normal use; a simple fall from a table could ruin it.  Since meerschaum pipes are carved by hand, the case must be made specifically for the pipe to fit well.  A well made case is worth its weight in gold, and will fit snugly around the pipe - a cheap case usually means a very cheap pipe.  Look at the quality of the clasp, the material around the inside of the case, and the outside of the case when choosing your pipe. 

Good luck, and enjoy your new pipe!  If you find this guide helpful, please vote for it - I'll also be adding a Care for Your Pipe guide soon !  If you have any questions, or would like me to check out a meerschaum pipe auction for you, just let me know, and I'll be glad to help!