19th C. Meerschaum Pipe with Figurehead-esque Female Bust mid-century finish vase Such a cheerful image with

Such a cheerful image with great details (I especially love the weave of the straw hats

but here it's this beautiful nailed on extra layer of mend/reinforcement (actually an extra layer on each side) straight down its center

7 5/8" t x 4 3/4" w x 4 5/16" d

and the handle makes a handy stand

and covers a wide scope of human anatomy and physiognomy

19th C. Meerschaum Pipe with Figurehead-esque Female Bust mid-century finish vase Such a cheerful image withWhile I pass most by most, occasionally I come across on antique meerschaum pipe that I really fall in love with, and this is very much one of those. What a face! She looks to me rather like a lioness, and a bit of a sphynx too, and she's arched like the figurehead of a ship, with little cluster of flowers at the tip of the bow. My guess is earlier than later 19th c. on her, but I'm not an expert. (Meerschaum pipes were carved of the mineral