Large Display of Victorian Pipes
A beautifully presented collection of Victorian Clay Pipes now available at Timeless Galleries.
Clay smoking pipes were first used in Britain in the 16th century following the importation of tobacco from the Americas. Early pipes tend to have small bowls as tobacco was relatively expensive at the period. Over time, bowls became larger as tobacco dropped in price and the length of the stem grew longer culminating in the Victorian churchwarden’s pipe which had a stem nearly a metre in length!
By the Victorian period, bowls were often highly decorated. Patterns such as the bird claw holding an egg or sculptured faces became relatively common, as did bowls decorated with the badge or motto of the pub, club or other institution where they were on sale.
Details of this pipe collection can be found on the back of the frame.
Provenance
Acquired by Timeless on the UK antiquities market, 2017.