Editing Meerschaum pipe (section)

== History ==
[[File:Meerschaum cigarette holder - Stierch.jpg|thumb|A meerschaum [[cigarette holder]] from Turkey]]
[[File:Pipa di Meerschaum.JPG|thumb|left|Meerschaum pipes may develop rich coloring from both age and use, which cannot be rushed as in this example.]]

The first recorded use of meerschaum for making pipes was around 1723. It quickly became prized as the perfect material for providing a cool, dry, flavorful smoke. Because of the porous nature of meerschaum, moisture and tobacco tar are drawn deep into the stone. Meerschaum became a premium substitute for the clay pipes of the day and remains prized to this day, although since the mid-1800s [[Tobacco pipe#Briar|briar pipes]] have become the most common pipes for smoking.

The use of [[briar wood]], beginning in the early 1820s, greatly reduced demand for clay pipes and, to a lesser degree, meerschaum pipes. The qualities of meerschaum were combined with those of briar pipes by lining briar pipes with meerschaum bowls. Some smokers{{who| date= April 2019}} believe that meerschaum-lined briar pipes give the porosity and sweet-smoking qualities of meerschaum along with the heat-absorbing qualities and durability of briar. However, meerschaum must be cool before a pipe can be cleaned, and briar must be rested after a few days of smoking, so  the combination comes with some of the drawbacks of both materials. The thinness of the lining can affect how long a pipe lasts and some smokers do not clean out their pipes, causing the meerschaum to crack.