Clay pipe revisited

[MorganTyre]

Revisited because I know that this has been a topic of discussion before. However, has anyone tried (or dealt with as a supplier) the products from - http://www.ushist.com/props/personal_items_2.htm#item5 They are certainly priced right. I happen to be a fan of smoking clays but am always cautious of online dealers. The date listed on the site is mid-eighteenth century but the shape of the bowl on the churchwarden is a dead-ringer for a pipe listed in Dunhill's pipe book as being dated 1700. This was when the transition from the flat heel to a spur began. Any thoughts? As I said, the price is certainly right.

[hurricane]

I think you're right about that. I don't know much about the mid 1700s, but I have some piecets of 314 year old versions of clay pipes from Port Royal that match the Church Warden version - that would make it pre 1692 by my reckoning.

-- Hurricane

[MajorChaos]

If you're looking for clays like the churchwarden, or others, google search more. I'm fairly certain I've seen other places that sell for less. Same style.

[Salty]

Nes delat with them but i be thinking i have a need to try me hands at making some clay pub pipes.

bout 4 to 5 inches long just da right size to fit in pocket or kit bag

Salty

[Captain Midnight]

Nes delat with them but i be thinking i have a need  to try me hands at making some clay pub pipes.

bout 4 to 5 inches long just da right size to fit in pocket or kit bag

Salty

If you make 'em, I'll definitely buy one, as I am currently in the market for one, and I'd much prefer to do business with a fellow Pub member.

[Salty]

A'right Capt. I will endeavor to do so then.....if anyone else be so inclined pm or email me. I will make them affordable.

Salty

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Here is a site that makes clay pipes for our period... or just about any other period as well.

http://www.dawnmist.demon.co.uk/pot4.htm

GoF

[Salty]

an a lovely website it be as well...........any objections to simple usable white clay pub pipes?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I think Hurricane has posted (or someone else) that a majority of the pipes found in Port Royal were red clay.

As far as I know, there are no other red clay pipes for our period on the market.

Opportunity?

GoF

[Captain Jim]

Townsend just added some redware reed pipes Here.

Are they our period or later?

[Kenneth]

I hope it's period cause I just ordered the long dark stained reed pipe from Townsend a second ago!!

[oderlesseye]

Eye went to A Mountain Man Rendezvous and had no idea that I would find this.. I doubted its authenticity so I sent these pics to an expert in the field..Her comments to me I find worth re-posting here because of the authenticity and possible health risks if precautions are not taken into account.

"Hello Ron

Just for once I have pleasure in telling you the pipe is real and

genuine :-)

I have been collecting these for years and this one is a Dutch pipe made

most likely in Amsterdam in about 1660-1670... it is possible it might

have been found in England, if so from a river estuary in a sealed

deposit although more likely from an old midden or sealed deposit in

Holland.

I have hundreds of these in my collection, they are not as rare as

people think but are lovely to own and of course you can smoke it

although I would make sure you sterilise it first to kill of any nasty

germs... and get rid of any spare mud from inside the stem or bowl.

These often show up in old cess pits... sometimes the bowls are full of

unspeakable muck including seeds that have been through the digestive

system of everyday folk from that period... depends how low down and

dirty a pirate you are.

Last year I got a nasty virus infection in my eye because of activated

bacteria from soil from pipes taken out of old cess pits... I washed the

pipe but then left it too long to dry and this white fungus appeared on

the surface so if you wash it make sure you dry it fast.

If you want to have it fully cleaned I would have it fired in a kiln to

about 800 deg C to burn off the carbon and etc etc etc and etc...

however, it will burn off the antique smoke on the rim of the bowl and

the surface will loose that nice shine... smoking it will bring back

this so if you plan to do that then fine.

Do not fire it more than 1000 deg C because that is more than it was

first fired at and it might loose some of it's porosity.

You see the stem is very straight and very round and thick... these

pipes were very long... some of them averaged 24 inches... others 3

feet... what you have there is the broken off bowl with a nice portion

of the stem... often sailors and pirates would have used a sharp dagger

to carve the tip of the pipe to make it more rounded... shape it like

you would sharpening a wooden stick of that size so you can bite it in

the mouth... take more off top and bottom than the sides... I have a

couple in my collection like this... all I can say it they had very

sharp knives back then to cut clay like it was made of wax.

You might  or might not have a little makers stamp on the base of the

bowl as these often do.

I expect it cost around $15-20 usd

If you let me know the sellers name I can also verify hopefully if they

is trustworthy and if you want to buy more from them. Was it from e-bay?

But I am pretty certain this is a real one as I collect Dutch clays more

than English."

regards

Heather

[Patrick Hand]

I wouldn't sujest this with an original pipe... but for the slip cast ones that are commonly avalible through the suttlers....

When the pipe gets kinda "grungy" just put it in a camp fire, or in you wood burning stove.... just make sure not to drop any logs on it..... in the morning after the fire has burned out..... your pipe will be as clean as new......