Meerschaum refers to the soft cream colored mineral magnesium silicate. The Meerschaum is a porous mineral and soft to carve. But, it hardens quickly when heated and is difficult to be polished. In the context of antiques, Meerschaum refers to the pipes produced mostly in Turkey, Hungary and other East European countries between 1870s and 1920s. The popular Meerschaum pipes depict knights, noblemen and leaders like Napoleon.