Any suggestions? I am leading in a auction on eBay for this pipe. If I win, how am I going to clean it?

Are you interested in cleaning the outside or inside? I hate when they don't show you what the bowl looks like. I would only be interested in carefully reaming the bowl. Meerschaum can crack it you ream it like a briar. Also disinfecting the stem with vodka or whiskey. The outside looks find.

The pipe has a lot of that great coloring but some of it looks like filth. If I win it I will post more pics

More pics

Place a couple of pipe cleaners as far in the stem as possible to block access to it from the bowl. Pack the bowl with salt, and slowly fill with rubbing alcohol until all salt is saturated. Let sit overnight, then clean out hardened salt. Rinse and repeat several times.

After the inside is clean, place a scoop or two of Oxy  Clean in a bowl of water. Do not stir, or mix at all. Place your pipe in the bowl, and let it sit overnight. You will have a film on your pipe that will easily buff off.

This is how I restored my great grandfathers pipe to near new condition.

If this screws up your pipe, I take no responsibly, so try at your own risk. This method was used on briar pipes, so not sure of the effect on yours.

Never use the same chemicals on both briar and meerschaum! They generally either work for one or the other! They are completely different materials. Consult expert websites before doing anything.
The recipe above sounds like it would destroy, possibly dissolve, meerschaum, which is a mineral hydrous magnesium silicate.

http://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/cleaning-up-estate-meerschaums-fred-bass/

My meerschaum realy needs a good cleaning.

That's what I'm afraid of. There just isn't much out there on restoring old meers

Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be a good idea, but just tossing out the only tiny bit of information I know on the subject, lol.

Good luck with the clean up, it's an awesome pipe!

If you've never cleaned a meerschaum pipe before and its really gunked up  then I suggest sending it to someone with experience cleaning them.

If I win it, I may just do that.

Here is a lengthy article on the subject:  http://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/cleaning-up-estate-meerschaums-fred-bass/

Quotewescat - 9/29/2013  2:04 PM  Here is a lengthy article on the subject:  http://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/cleaning-up-estate-meerschaums-fred-bass/[/QUOTE]

great info!

Meerschaum is soluble in water.  A Slighlty moist, clean cloth, applied judiciously, will help remove the grime.  Keep in mind the coloring is permanent and arguably part of a meerschaum's charm -- it colors as it's smoked.

Never use "rubbing alcohol" on any pipe.  The 70% rubbing alcohol contains a bunch of added ingredients and is nearly 30% water.  It doesn't evaporate very well.  The 70% is great for sore muscles and massages, terrible for pipes.  The 90%-95% alcohol (NOT denatured) is fine -- if you're not sure, as your pharmacist to get the right stuff.  I use Everclear, it's 190 proof and it's potable -- $10 a fifth here, but it lasts a very long time, I prefer using potable alcohol, adds no flavors, and evaporates quickly.

Unlike briars, any cake in a meerschaum is a bad thing.  If this pipe has cake, it needs to be carefully removed.  Keep your meerschaum "cakeless" by carefully removing the debris once the pipe has cooled and "ream" it with a clean paper towel.

Do some reading on cleaning estate meerschaums.  I'll start you with this piece by Fred Bass, who is probably to most renowned meerschaum pipe expert in the USA:

http://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/cleaning-up-estate-meerschaums-fred-bass/

I love my meerschaum pipes.  They're more delicate than briars, so they definitely aren't "pocket pipes," but properly maintained, meers provide the cleanest, driest smoke -- if you want to taste a blend best, reach for a meerschaum.

Good luck!