Aristocratic corncob

July 2025

This chic pipe with streamlined appearance is known as the Aristocob. It is an industrial design with quite a history. Although you wouldn't say so, the core is a corncob pipe. The design is by Joseph Zarikta from Grand Haven in the American state of Michigan. He wanted to use the simple corncob to sweeten the taste of the smoke, but gave it a completely new twist. To give the object greater durability and a more chic appearance, he camouflaged the corncob with aluminum that was given cooling fins on the outside. The patent for his invention was issued in December 1966. The production of the metal was outsourced to the Al-Cob Corporation in Grand Haven, Michigan. The corncob inserts were supplied by the famous Missouri Meerschaum Company. The contemporary nature of this creation is also emphasized by the black nylon stem that offers space for a so-called Medico filter of rolled paper, produced by the same meerschaum company. The Aristocob was popular in those years in a plastic gift box, complete with two new corncob pipe bowls. After years, production was taken over by the aforementioned company from Missouri, which had been responsible for the insert bowls since the early years. The pipe remained in production until 1983. In the Netherlands, this pipe is truly a rarity.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 30.381

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