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Sample Appraisal: Cigarette Holder

Sample Appraisal: Cigarette Holder

Appraisal ID: 11255
Appraised On: Aug 16,
2006
Market Value: $
125.00
Replacement Value: $
160.00

APPRAISER COMMENTS:

This appears to be a 19th century Meerschaum cheroot holder
(cheroot holders were typically slightly curved, as is this example)
with original leather, velvet lined case. Size: 2″ in length. Fair
condition.
Nearly 300 years ago, the first meerschaum pipe was carved by hand. And
today, these unique pipes are still carved by hand. Meerschaum is
actually hydrated magnesium silicate, a mineral found in shallow
deposits mainly around the city of Eskisehir in central Turkey. It is
prized for its plasticity which allows it to be carved into many
decorative and figural shapes. It has been used since the 17th century
and, with clay pipes, represented the most common medium for pipes
before the introduction of briar as the material of choice in the 19th
century. The word “meerschaum” means “sea foam” in German, alluding to
the belief that it was the compressed whitecaps of waves, just as is
said in mythology for the goddess of beauty – Aphrodite. It is of an
opaque white or cream color and when first extracted is soft and easily
marked, but it hardens on exposure to the sun or when dried in a warm
room or in a furnace. However, meerschaum is a very porous mineral that
acts as a “natural filter”, absorbing elements of the tobacco during the
smoking process, and gradually changes color to a golden brown. Old,
well-smoked meerschaum pipes are prized for their distinctive coloring.
Item/Title: No name
Date/Period of Manufacture: I belonged to
my mother’s great Grandfather. She is 85, so I would guess between 1800 –
1860.
Condition: The cigarttte holder is good, but the box
it comes in is poor.
Manufacturer/Artist/Author: An unknown
artisan hand-carved it.
Dimensions (HxWxD): The cigarette holder is a 2″ long
and the box is about 31/2″ long
Inscription: No
History/Provenance: It was passed on to me from my
mother, who received it from her father and it was his grandfather’s
from Germany or Ireland.
DISCLAIMER

This online appraisal report is an appraisal expert’s opinion of
value based on market comparable research of the item description and
images supplied by our customer. No further guarantee of authenticity,
genuineness, attribution or authorship is represented.

Current Fair Market Value is the price agreed on between a
willing buyer and seller, neither being required to act, and both having
reasonable knowledge of the facts.

Replacement Value is the price in terms of money that would be
required to replace the property in question with another of similar
age, quality, origin, appearance, provenance and condition, within a
reasonable length of time in an appropriate market.