Meerschaum tobacco pipe, bowl in the form of a basket of flower being supported by a nude female figure at front, amber mouthpiece with silver band, French(?), 1851-1900
This bowl of this tobacco pipe is carved from a material called meerschaum – a white coloured clay like mineral that was easy to carve. Female figures were a popular choice of decoration. Burns around the top of the bowl indicate the pipe has been well used.
Shredded tobacco would have been placed in the bowl of the pipe, lit and the smoke inhaled through the amber mouthpiece.
Details
- Category:
- Smoking
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A54836
- Materials:
- meerschaum, mouthpiece, amber and mouthpiece, silver
- Measurements:
-
overall: 80 mm x 180 mm x 55 mm, 23 mm, .07kg
- type:
- meerschaum tobacco pipe