Pipe Collecting

Pipe Collecting

Introduction

The historic use of pipes to smoke goes back to about 500 B.C. The Native Americans introduced pipe smoking to the Europeans around the 16th century, and the habit spread quickly.

Pipes have been created from all sorts of material, but the most commonly were carved from briar wood. Since the pipe was initially implemented by the Europeans, pipes have been made of oak, mesquite, cherrywood, corncobs, and clay. Pipes made from glass are not well suited for smoking tobacco but some people do use them. A pipe consists of two parts; the bowl designed for burning the tobacco and a hollow mouthpiece that allows the smoke to be drawn into the mouth.

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Divine in hookas, glorious in a pipe When tipp'd with amber, mellow, rich, and ripe;... Yet thy true lovers more admire by far Thy naked beauties - give me a cigar! ~George Gordon, Lord Byron, The Island



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Why Collect Pipes?

There is a nearly limitless mixture of designs and materials that make up a pipe. Some of these pipes have been very carefully designed and etched with beautiful busts of heads of people like Enrico Fermi and Norman Mailer, shapes of animals and other creatures like the American Moose and the Nene Goose and the Hummingbirds. You might even find one with the mythical Aitvaras or the Surma or the Inkanyamba or the Hag.

Most collectors are interested in the intricate design, or a certain shape, or the unusual length and curvature of the various pipes. That makes an excellent reason to start a collection of them. The age of the pipe as well as the complexity of the design, the material that the pipe is made from, and the quality are what collectors look for. Many pipes in people's private collections are worth a lot of money.

The Varieties of Pipes

The variety of the different types of pipes are nearly unbelievable. They are made in numerous shapes, sizes, and designs. Pipes may be made from one type of wood and combined to another type of material. An example would be a bowl made from erica arborea and a metal stem, or corncob or meerschaum connected with a reed stem.

Conclusions

whatever type of pipe you are thinking about collecting, whether you are collecting pipes from certain time periods, or certain designs, maybe you do not even have a theme for your pipe collection. Maybe you are just collecting unusual pipes of any type, your collection will not disappoint you. Pipes are something to treasure, and in the long run will be a valuable investment, if that is what you choose to do.