JWB and his pipe!

[HerbS]

I found out today that JWB smoked a Meerschaum pipe while at his stay at the Canandaigua Lake cottage!$$$$$$?

[L Verge]

I have seen references to Booth smoking a pipe, and we know that one was found on his body. However, I have always pictured him more as a short, skinny cigar smoker -- the cigar, not Booth -- what were called Tiparillos when I was a child.

I also wanted to collect a few Meerschaums in my earlier, wage-earning days, but too many $$$$$. I wonder how expensive they were then? Actually, a good trivia question is, "What is 'meerschaum'?"

[HerbS]

Laurie,Those pipes seem to be very expensive.There are many collecters out there,because they hand carved with Ivory.

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Laurie,The pipes have been around since 1723.They are from Turkey and parts of Africa.Some of them are over $500.00 for collectors.These were pipes for very wealthy people.So,it figures JWB would have to have one.

[L Verge]

It was those kinds of price tags, Herb, that brought my thoughts of collecting Meerschaum pipes and cigarette holders to a halt! I did have a dealer give me a great lesson on meerschaum, however, about forty years ago. It may appear to be ivory, but it really is a soft, opaque mineral that was first found readily in the plains of Turkey. One of the Scandinavian countries is known for it (but I can't remember which one). Spain and France produced some too, and even U.S. has sources in Pennsylvania and a few other states that have veins of serpentine.

The name Meerschaum is actually German for sea foam and is taken from similar looking froth that lies on the Black Sea. When the mineral is gathered, it is laid out in the sun to be hardened. Even after hardening, however, it is easy to scratch or carve - hence the pipes and cigarette holders. The dealer showed me several that had gone from the traditional opaque whitish/gray color to shades of yellow, orange, and near-red. He explained that the products from the burning tobacco had caused that.

One thing I never asked was when the Meerschaum pipes were introduced into America. I suspect - but can't confirm - that they may have been a result of soldiers returning from the Crimean War, just as Turkish cigarettes became so popular and spread from Europe to America.

[Eva Elisabeth]

I just wanted to reply to the question what Meerschaum is, but you've already answered it. Just to add: before hardened, in contact with water it foams like soap, so that the ancient Greek used it as a cleaning agent.
       
The scientific name, "sepiolite", was determined by Ernst Friedrich Glocker in 1847, and refers to the Greek word for "cattlefish", "sepion", as the mineral also resembles the porous bones of the cuttlefish (and was first believed to derive from therefrom). Vienna, Austria, was the metropolis of meerschaumpipe production.

For several generations, German children have grown up with Master Lämpel's Meerschaum pipe as it is the main object in the fourth prank of Max and Moritz in "A Rascals History in Seven Tricks", written by Wilhelm Busch in 1865. (And I can't help it, when I read Herndon's remimiscenses of the Lincolns' children, Max and Moritz instantly come to my mind - from his point of view.) Since it is such a nice example of "educational" 19th century children's literature, if you are in the mood for some childhood memories, please go here to read what they did with the meerschaumpipe:
http://www.davidgorman.com/maxundmoritz....er_Streich

As for the educational purpose, of course such pranks come to a bad end, and the rascals became victims of their last trick when they were caught by a farmer, put in a sack and brougt to the mill where they were grinded, and they finally ended up as geese food.

Then said gravely Teacher Lämpel,
"There again is an example!"

19th century children's literature and fairy tales were CRUEL (at least the Germans')!

[Eva Elisabeth]

I wonder how expensive they were then?

In an 1875 account Austrian author Friedrich Schlögel reported he paid 50 Gulden for a Meerschaum pipe, which in current currency terms would be ~500€, thus ~700$.

[HerbS]

Thanks,Eva Elisabeth--- It seems that JWB-had nothing but the Best!

[STS Lincolnite]

Is there a photo of this pipe? With the expense of a pipe such as this, I would assume this was a personal possession of Booth and not something brought to him by Jones.

[HerbS]

Sorry-No photo of the pipe,or proven facts.There is only legend!

[L Verge]

Let me quiz Terry Alford as to whether or not he ran across verification of the Meerschaum pipe. I doubt that Booth carried this with him on a routine basis. In those days, many men carried the pipe "reeds" (stems) with them and depended on taverns, etc. to lend the bowls to their customers. Something as precious as a Meerschaum would seem to be a "luxury" item best enjoyed at home or in the hotel room.

[STS Lincolnite]

Let me quiz Terry Alford as to whether or not he ran across verification of the Meerschaum pipe. I doubt that Booth carried this with him on a routine basis. In those days, many men carried the pipe "reeds" (stems) with them and depended on taverns, etc. to lend the bowls to their customers. Something as precious as a Meerschaum would seem to be a "luxury" item best enjoyed at home or in the hotel room.

Thanks Laurie. I wasn't familiar with the pipe being found on him at the time of his capture/death. I did find a reference to him owning several meerschaum pipes however. In the book Lust for Fame: The State Career of John Wilkes Booth, there is an account attributed to John A. Ellsler (one of Booth's partners in the Dramatic Oil Company) that states that among the things present in Booth's room while staying in Franklin, PA were 4 colorful meerschaum pipes. I do not have the book and was only able to get partial information online (one of those google book previews with pages missing).

[L Verge]

Dr. Alford just responded to my email in the affirmative about Booth having at least one Meerschaum pipe. He wasn't close to the source, but thought it came from Ernie Miller's Booth in the Oil Fields - which would lead one back to Ellsler.

Herb - It seems that the pipe is not a legend.

[HerbS]

This pipe legend of Booth's comes from Rattle Snake Pete.He was a store owner-collector-from Rochester,NY-He claimed to have one of Booth's Meerschaum pipes.The pipe disappeared when his store burned down! Who knows what the truth is?

[L Verge]

John Ellsler talking about Booth's pipes would be an excellent primary source and lend great credibility to them existing.

[HerbS]

I agree 100% with you Laurie.