Henry Tibbe founder
(see map on bottom)
The Missouri Meerschaum pipe factory
:: Missouri Meerschaum ::
Henry Tibbe founder
(see map on bottom)
The 30 to 40 employees of the factory produce more than 3000 pipes per day (2010).
The three storey brick building that houses the factory dates to the 1880's.
Photography of the factory from the late 19th century.
Montains of corn corbs waiting for being transformed into pipes.
The cobs are stored for two years. Aging makes the cobs harder and dryer.
University of Missouri perfected the corn seed to produce a bigger cob. Those from usual agriculture went too small over the years through hybridation.
After having applied plaster of Paris to the outside of the corn cob, the bowls are sanded.
