Maxim's 'Pipe of Peace' and inhaler, with accessories, in original carton

Maxim's "Pipe of Peace" and inhaler, with accessories, in original carton, by J. Morgan Richards and Sons Ltd., London

As the inventor of the automatic machine gun, Hiram Maxim (1840–1916) has a somewhat notorious place in history. Less well-known is another invention of his, an inhaler which he called the ‘Pipe of Peace’.

Soothing vapours from water warmed with a few drops of 'Dirigo', Maxim’s own calming concoction, could be delivered right to the back of the throat via a long swan-necked glass tube. As word of its effectiveness spread, demand for the ‘Pipe of Peace’ grew and eventually hundreds of thousands were sold in the early 1900s.