A Highly detailed hand-carved Viennese meerschaum cavalier figural pipe with sterling silver band and wonderful full color patina with possible link to John Wilkes Booth. The pipe is 19th Century with original case showing the maker or retailer’s mark of Carl Hiess with address in Vienna. It is obvious that the pipe is well-smoked, as meerschaum is typically white or cream in color and only develops the darker patina with repeated smoking.

This pipe includes a very old photograph of the same pipe excluding the mouthpiece inscribed on the back with the following “This pipe, ‘Cavalier’ is alleged to have belonged to the family of Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth and was once in the possession of John Wilkes Booth.”

Edwin Booth was one of the most famous Shakespearean actors of the late 19th Century, and very well-known. He was a heavy pipe smoker. His residence in New York City is still intact today, and displays many of his pipes. He did not hold the same political views as his infamous brother, John Wilkes Booth, known for assassinating President Abraham Lincoln, and this supposedly tarnished his reputation after the assassination. While there is no clear proof that this pipe belonged to Edwin Booth or John Wilkes Booth, it is quite interesting, and plausible. The pipe is from the same approximate time period, and the included photo and inscription are also very old. Perhaps a DNA test could determine this with more certainty, but that would be beyond our abilities.

The pipe is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or repairs. It measures approximately 7” long and 3” high. Quality hand-carved Viennese meerschaum pipes can achieve this level of pricing on their own merits, without any potential link to a someone famous or infamous person.

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