When you tell someone you are interested in antique pipes most people will think about their grandfather's briar pipes, puffing great clouds of bluish grey smoke. But there is more to the story…
The tobacco pipe is a utensil which has been used by peoples from all over the world. After the initial 'discovery' of tobacco by Columbus, the smoking of tobacco took the world by storm. There is an almost infinite variety of shapes, models, materials, decorations and qualities due to the evolution of the tobacco pipe over a period of roughly 400 years. And of course the variety of people smoking it contributes to the diversity as well. Pipe designs are so distinct that a collector will be able to tell you the nationality, the tribe, the social class, the smoking habits and in some cases even the profession of the smoker.
Some of the most artistic pipes were made in Africa. A great example is the large anthropomorphic clay pipe in our auction. This pipe was used by royalty from the Bamun people in Cameroon as a symbol of status. The larger and more elaborately decorated, the higher the status of the owner.
In Europe it was also possible to show your status through the pipe you smoked. A clay pipe was the most accessible for the lower and middle class with the average price of a pipe being roughly a few hours wage. A finely carved meerschaum pipe would only be accessible to the upper class, fine examples often costing the equivalent of several years workman's wage. Additionally the pipes, regardless of material or status, often showed details about the smoker such as profession or the political inclination.
For collectors, finding new and good quality pipes is becoming increasingly more difficult with many of the pieces being locked in old collections, both private and museum. It is exceptional that Catawiki is able to offer such an exceptional and diverse collection of antique pipes, with high quality examples from Europe, Asia and Africa.
Would you like to see more of the variety, quality and history of pipes? Take a look at Catawiki's Antique Pipes auction where you could take home one or more one of these intricate treasures for your own collection with the right bid.