Meerschaum pipe - meerschaum, Bakelite

Carved Meerschaum Pipe with Amber-Style Stem, Fitted Case
Description:
A hand-carved figural pipe, the bowl worked in high relief as a turbaned/hooded bearded figure with deeply cut drapery folds — characteristic of the block-meerschaum figural pipes produced in Vienna and the Ottoman workshops (Eskişehir) from the mid-19th through early 20th century. The material shows the fine-grained, slightly porous surface and warm butterscotch-to-amber patina typical of genuine meerschaum (hydrated magnesium silicate) that has been smoked and handled, darkening unevenly around the rim and shank from wax/oil finishing and years of use.
Stem/mouthpiece: Curved, marbled honey-amber coloured material — most likely pressed amberoid ("faux amber") or an early cellulose/Bakelite-type composite rather than natural Baltic amber, which is typical for pipes of this class and period. The mouthpiece separates from the shank via a turned tenon; a metal (white-metal or silver-toned) ferrule band is visible at the joint, now showing surface oxidation/corrosion.
Condition: Visible age-consistent wear including a hairline crack/repair at the shank join, oxidised residue and staining around the ferrule, and a small rust bloom near the collar — these should be disclosed as condition issues rather than hidden. The carved bowl shows expected micro-cracking and colour variegation consistent with genuine meerschaum aging (not damage).
Case: Original fitted travel case, violin/shield-shaped, hinged, with brown velvet/plush lining — a style commonly supplied by pipe retailers and tobacconists for meerschaum pipes from the late 19th–early 20th century.
Dimensions: Pipe 17 x 5.5 x 9.5 cm, weight 90 g. Case 20 x 12 x 8 cm, weight 84 g.