Yes!William Gillette is credited with the introduction of the curved, meerschaum pipe to Sherlock Holmes. Gillette found it difficult to deliver his lines on stage using a traditional straight pipe. He found he could hold the curved pipe in his mouth and easily say his lines. The curved pipe has been a part of Holmes image ever since.

Gillette served as the model for Frederick Dorr Steele's illustrations of the Doyle stories in their American publications.The picture can be seen here.