This intricately carved meerschaum figural pipe came to me as part of an estate lot. It had waited patiently for restoration for a few years before I managed to get repairs underway, and even then it took me months to complete the work, picking away at it in the spaces between other jobs.

As you will see in the following series of images, the pipe is carved in the shape of a decidedly Edwardian lady, complete with a rather large hat perched atop a pile of Gibson Girl hair. A similarly large bow tied under her chin balances the look, while the sweet, contented expression on the lady’s face speaks of many hours of peaceful smoking for the gentleman lucky enough to call her his own.

The stummel arrived in dirty but undamaged condition, a testament to the care shown by its stewards over time. Alas, the stem was not…