How Pipes are made 167 



mersed in hot fat, polished with rags and a special 

 powder. Another bath in hot wax follows, the time 

 of immersion varying from five minutes to an hour, 

 according to the density of the meerschaum. It is 

 the wax which, acting upon the meerschaum, results 

 in the tobacco effecting the fine rich tints so well 

 known and admired. A final polishing with powdered 

 chalk completes the meerschaum, which is then ready 

 for the burning embraces of tobacco. 



The transformation of the rough sea-foam into the 

 graceful and polished meerschaum entails much care 

 and skilful labour. A plain pipe can be made in 

 three days, but on carved ones months are spent. 

 The decoration of meerschaum is an art, and employs 

 hundreds of workmen. Vienna is the headquarters 

 of the meerschaum manufacture, and the Germans 

 and Austrians have it almost entirely in their hands. 

 Attracted by the higher wages offered in England, 

 there are many Germans engaged in the manufacture 

 of meerschaums in London. They frequently earn 

 from £4 to £6 a week. 



Imitators of meerschaum are very many. Burnt 

 gypsum slaked with lime or a solution of gum-arabic 

 forms a hard plaster which, smoothed and polished 

 with oil, assumes a marble-like surface. A very fair 

 imitation of meerschaum is also made of hardened 

 plaster of Paris, polished and tinted with a solution 

 of gamboge and dragon's-blood, afterwards treating 

 it with paraffin-oil or stearic acid. All the cheaper 

 meerschaum pipes, cigar- and cigarette-holders are 

 made of these or similar compounds. There is no 

 absolute test for meerschaum, and experts are fre- 



