Au Pacha, one of the first Parisian Meerschaum pipe manufacturers.

Manufacturing of meerschaum pipes began in Paris in the 19th century. The first companies to specialize in making tobacco pipes and cigar holders from meerschaum started out in the treen-making industry and moved into pipe manufacturing around 1850. Such was the case for treen maker Alfred Ferdinand Lenouvel, who established his Au Pacha tobacco and pipe shop around 1843. His operations evolved rapidly into a boutique pipe manufacturing business located on Place de la Bourse in Paris. After Lenouvel left the company in 1864, it had several other owners until around 1924. During that entire period, the company name and location were maintained and continued to gain recognition. The “Au Pacha” brand survived even longer, right up until the 1990s. During that entire period, a wide range of highly refined, mainly meerschaum cigar holders and tobacco pipes were manufactured under the name “Au Pacha”, leaving a lasting mark on what became a famous Parisian industry.

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