Early 1800's Clay Tobacco Pipe Ref. SP-4
Thanks to Sir Walter Raleigh, who, in the late 1500's is reputed to be the first to introduce tobacco to England, smoking soon became popular in Elizabethan England and men, women and even children were addicted to the habit. It is said that Sir Walter even offered Queen Elizabeth a pipe although this claim cannot be substantiated.
Tobacco was expensive when it was first introduced and the earlier pipe bowls were quite small. Tobacco was eventually grown in England, and, as the price dropped, the bowl of the pipe increased in size.
The earliest clay pipes made were produced in England and Holland and had tiny bowls - to take no more than a pinch of tobacco, tobacco being so expensive. By 1620 the habit was spreading rapidly and with crops supplying demand for consumption the price dropped. So the bowls were made bigger by potters who were now setting themselves up as pipe makers in their own right.
Throughout the 17th Century the trend was for the pipe bowls to get bigger and the stems longer as makers became more confident and local fashions encouraged bowl styles. As usual the larger cities such as London as well as Amsterdam in the Netherlands provided the better products and regional pipe making areas also developed with their own quality products. There was a time in this Century that King James finally tried to wipe out smoking and had the crops destroyed, but, because the people were not favourable to this move, it was decided to ban crops in England and have the Virginian Colonies grow the plant and to import the product with tax duty applied.
The above pipe bowl, part of the stem missing, was found on the banks of the River Thames and is possibly around the late 1700's to early 1800's, the design being popular at this time. Please note the 'spur' which carries the maker's initial and the 'fern' decoration on the side of the bowl.
This is a genuine antique. Please remember the classification of an 'antique' is that it should be 100 years old, OR MORE. There are many articles being offered as 'antiques' when, clearly, they are not.
Price R55.00 Post R30.00
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