Antique Carved Meerschaum Figural Pipe, Turbaned Pasha, Cased

A finely carved meerschaum figural pipe depicting the bearded head of a turbaned Ottoman pasha, with a deeply furrowed brow, downcast eyes, and a long flowing beard rendered in tightly worked curls. The voluminous turban is detailed with a scaled crown, a smooth twisted cloth band, and a fluted plume rising at the front — a style closely associated with late 19th-century Viennese and Austro-Hungarian carving workshops, which dominated high-grade meerschaum production for the European and American markets. The shank terminates in a tapered amber-toned mouthpiece.

Housed in its original shaped fitted case, covered in pebbled black leather over a rigid form, with brass hinge and clasp fittings and a deep burgundy velvet upper lining over a contrasting gold-toned plush lower bed conformed to the pipe. Cases of this profile were typically supplied by the retailer at point of sale and survive far less often than the pipes themselves.

CONDITION

Very Good. The carved bowl presents crisply with no detected chips or hairlines and retains a bright, largely unstained meerschaum surface suggesting light use at most. Minor dust accretion sits in the deeper recesses of the beard, and the case shows edge rubbing to the leather and scattered wear and light staining to the velvet lining.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Pipe Overall: 5" Length
• Case: 6 1/2" Length
• Bowl: Hand-carved meerschaum, figural pasha's head
• Case: Pebbled black leather, hinged brass closure, velvet and plush lined