Discovering Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes

Corn cob pipes are part of the rich heritage of the New World. They are still very much with us, and still winning over new followers. Among the many brands making corn cob pipes is Missouri Meerschaum.

Pipes made 100% in Missouri

Genuine American legends, Missouri Meerschaum pipes have become almost mythical. Corn has always been grown in Missouri, and the cobs are then shaped by hand in the capital of the corn cob pipe, Washington, Missouri. These are therefore authentic products. Missouri Meerschaum is the largest and the oldest maker of corn cob and meerschaum pipes in the world.

It was in 1869 that Tom Tibbe, a Dutch joiner, made his first pipes for a local farmer. The result was so striking that the farmer asked for more. Tom then made others to sell, and before long he was selling more pipes than wooden goods. So he decided to concentrate on what his customers wanted: pipes.

A story running for more than 155 years

Missouri Meerschaum has now been making corn cob and meerschaum pipes for more than 155 years. No fewer than 6 generations have taken over the reins, ensuring the same skills and standards in every product. The company takes its name from its home town and from the German word for “sea foam”. It also stands out for the innovative system used in its corn cob and meerschaum pipes, which Tom developed with a chemist friend: he coats the outside of his pipes with a plaster-like substance to protect them. The method was patented in 1878.

Thanks to their range of sizes and shapes, and to prices that suit every budget, Missouri Meerschaum pipes found a following in the United States and later around the world. Whatever your requirements, you are likely to find something to suit among the brand’s output. The company is also the last one still making such pieces. Some of them are even sold as souvenirs with the name of a town written on them.