MEERSCHAUM: A German word meaning literally, "sea-foam," alluding to the belief that it was the compressed whitecaps of waves. Meerschaum is a mineral - hydrous silicate of magnesium - one of the most porous substances found in nature. Composed of the fossilized shells of tiny sea creatures that fell to the ocean floor millions of years ago, meerschaum is found in red clay deposits. Meerschaum deposits of the highest quality are found only in one place in the world - Eskisehir, in central Turkey.
BRIAR: This is the closely-grained burl joint between the stem and roots of the White Heath, a tree found on the hillsides of mainly Mediterranean countries. Underground, this burl protects the briar wood, which is tough, close grained, porous, and nearly impervious to heat. Good briar is hard to find. The larger shrubs take a long time to mature...and the older the shrub the better the briar and thus your pipe. The most suitable root may be 80 to 100 years old, and the finest pipe briar may be from a shrub over 200 years old... aged and mellowed by time.
MISSOURI MEERSCHAUM: The All-American Corncob pipe. It is a length of hollowed-out corncob, usually from a special hybrid variety of corn, with a straight wooden stem and, sometimes, a inexpensive plastic mouthpiece. Some veteran pipe smokers buy corncobs by the dozens, smoke one until it burns out or goes sour, then throw it away and light up another. (If a youngster uses yours to blow soap bubbles, buy another.)
CALABASH: A South African gourd similar to a squash grown specifically for use in pipes. The shape is determined as the gourd grows by placing small blocks under the stem, forcing it into a gentle curve. The mature gourd is cut and dried, then fitted with a cork gasket to receive a meerschaum bowl. The finished pipe offers one of the coolest, driest smokes available. Immortalized by Sherlock Holmes and in Jimmy Durante's signature line - "Good night Mrs. Calabash - wherever you are."
CLAY PIPE: Clay or pottery pipes were very popular in England and in Europe before the discovery of briar. In London coffee houses and clubs, long-stemmed "Church wardens" and "London Straws" were universally accepted. The finest clay for pipes is said to be found in Devon, England.
HOOKAH: Also known as a WATER-PIPE or occasionally HUBBLY-BUBBLY. The Turkish hookah filters the pipe smoke through water (or booz) for extra coolness. Many styles of hookah exist including those with multiple mouth pieces so that several may enjoy the tobacco (or hashish) simultaneously. The tobacco used in the hookah is usually dried whole leaf, soaked and crumbled, or canned, mixed with various herbs and flavors. The very moist tobacco is heaped into the bowl and covered with a small charcoal fire.