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Pirate Pipes


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ARTICLE 6: That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoak Tobacco in the Hold, without cap to his Pipe, or carry a candle lighted without lanthorn, shall receive Moses's Law (that is 40 Stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.

Now I don't want to be receivin' Moses' Law or nuthin, so I best be gettin me a pipe with a cap or sumthin'. I've seen them lovely clay Tavern Pipes, but they're not practical for life at sea.

What kind of a capped pipe might a pirate use?

:ph34r:

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Have any pics or places we can find them El Pirata?

Scupper

"That's the navy for you. Rum in the scuppers today. Blood in the scuppers tomorrow."

Thrist is a shameless disease. So here's to a shameful cure!

"Loyalty, honesty and directness are traits I admire. Insecurity, snipes and disrespect I will not tolerate in the least."

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Aye. I searched for a reference to capped pipes, but me Google didn't google-up anythin' useful. I have a calabash (Sherlock Holmes style) and a Churchwarden (modern looking, straight stem, wooden bowl), neither of which be fittin' me pirate lifestyle.

Anythin' ye could find on smokes'd be 'preshaded!

:lol:

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Have any pics or places we can find them El Pirata?

Scupper

No pics that I am aware of only research in books long ago but it was one thing that stuck in my mind.

Pushing the limits means getting out of my comfort zone and giving more when I don't think I have any left.

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Aye. I searched for a reference to capped pipes, but me Google didn't google-up anythin' useful. I have a calabash (Sherlock Holmes style) and a Churchwarden (modern looking, straight stem, wooden bowl), neither of which be fittin' me pirate lifestyle.

Anythin' ye could find on smokes'd be 'preshaded!

<_<

I would imagine the bowl was similar to the Sherlock Holmes (wonder if he's related to John Holmes) and the pipe portion was something like the clay pipe.

Pushing the limits means getting out of my comfort zone and giving more when I don't think I have any left.

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Aye Ladds,

Most pipes ya find fer th' tyme period would be th' reed stemed, clay bowl veriety... I admit, I have yet ta come across a picture of a 'capped' pipe of the like... I have seem a wood and german silver pipe with a cap, but I's not sure iffn' it be of the proper tyme.....

Truly,

D. Lasseter

Captain, The Lucy

Propria Virtute Audax --- In Hoc Signo Vinces

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Ni Feidir An Dubh A Chur Ina Bhan Air

"If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me." Deuteronomy 32:41

Envy and its evil twin - It crept in bed with slander - Idiots they gave advice - But Sloth it gave no answer - Anger kills the human soul - With butter tales of Lust - While Pavlov's Dogs keep chewin' - On the legs they never trust... The Seven Deadly Sins

http://www.colonialnavy.org

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Most of the clay pipes were for tavern use. You still have briar and wood pipes. A cap was either made of silver, tin and in some cases leather. Sometimes it was also a Plug. To keep the tobacco from falling out as it could have a deep ember. They were also known as Wind Caps.

--------------

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty well preserved piece without an even a kiss your hand, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, smelling of powder, shouting ARRRG!!"

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A little pipe history, which does nothin' to answer me original question!

2000 BC Remains of tobacco leaves and pipes are found in Egyptian mummies. This is yet to be explained scientifically.

1500 BC Pipes are used by North American indians for ceremonial purposes and as a symbol of reconciliation.

300 AD The Greek doctor Hypocrites used smoke inhalation from herbs as remedy for certain female diseases.

1000 The herb "Angelikarot" is smoked in pipes in Norway.

1492 Columbus discovers (or maybe rediscovers) America and the use of tobacco.

1519 The tobacco plant reaches Europe.

1559 Jean Nicot launches the tobacco plant as a multiremedy; among the french royalties it becomes fashionable to "sneeze away the headache".

1580 Chalk pipes are mass produced - mostly for mariners.

1586 A ban on smoking is included in the ten revised commandments in Switzerland.

1600 Iron pipes are used in Norway, also among the laps.

1604 The first anti tobacco campaign is launched by Jacob I. of England.

1618-1648 During the 30 years war, pipe smoking gains recognition throughout Europe.

1619-1630 Christian IV of Denmark & Norway punishes smoking on ships by keel-hauling.

1630 Death penalty is received for smoking in Turkey, Russia and China. These punishments seem to disappear when the regents discover the enormous tax income tobacco can generate.

1720 Meerschaum is discovered and becomes the highest regarded pipe material.

1820 The cigar becomes fashionable in western Europe.

1840 From its birthplace in Jura, France, the briar pipe gains world popularity.

1853-1856 The war at Crimea makes the the cigarette familiar to the west from Turkey.

2003 Blind Rhoid Pyle wonders what kind of pipes pirates used.

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Most of the clay pipes were for tavern use. You still have briar and wood pipes. A cap was either made of silver, tin and in some cases leather. Sometimes it was also a Plug.

Ahhh, thank ye for the information, matey. Still, I be interested to see what these period pipes looked like, and see if someone is makin' these today. If not, maybe it'd be a good opportunity for someone to produce reproduction tobaccoania.

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Most of the clay pipes were for tavern use. You still have briar and wood pipes. A cap was either made of silver, tin and in some cases leather. Sometimes it was also a Plug.

Thank ya fer the information, matey! I'd like to see what these pyrate period pipes looked like, and see if I can find similar ones today.

I knew a maker of pipes once, maybe I can get the skinny from 'im... if so, I'll post 'is reply.

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Naster KOPF magazine about clay pipes anf thier history.

this is a great site I found on clay pipes in history.

it seems to be an archive for a magazine.

I didn't have time,but they have an extensive search option.

very interesting site with lots if pictures of the many clay pipes that remain.

I always thought of clay pipes as being simple,because thos e were the only ones I was exposed to.

I was surprised and delighted to see all the beautiful and artistic clay pipes.

:ph34r:

Capt Weaver

"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company. "

Dr. Samuel Johnson

Capt Weaver's Pirate Perversions

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Aye, Capt. Weaver: and the site listed in Black Deacon's message showed pics of artistic clays in the $10.00 price range!

Like you, I always thouight of clays (like the one I smoke: picked it up at Gulf Wars last year) as plain, utilitarian items.

Blind Rhoid, that is most interesting about mummies and tobacco! From where did the blasted weed come, hey, Cristoforo? :lol:

Capt. William

"The fight's not over while there's a shot in the locker!"

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Sorry about the double post up there... it was late...

I got the following from a pipe maker:

As gathered from the other posts, the pipe must have been clays. The interesting part is the line "without cap to his Pipe". I have looked at a lot of clays but never seen one with a cap. I guess the cap would be a small clay holed cap probably attached by a cord. I can't see a hindged cap being incorporated onto a clay unless a metal collar was employed and I have never seen collars on the clays that are dug up. But that's not to say that there wasn't such a thing. This leaves 2 possibilities:

1) The clay had a small cap attached by a cord and these caps would most likely be transferred to the new pipe when the old one got broken. They would also be prone to getting lost or seperated from the pipe so the chance of one showing up on an archeological dig would be remote. Also the fact that these were probably exclusively a maritime piece of equipment would also make them rare.

2) A metal collar with a hindged cap that could be transferred from pipe to pipe. This would also be hard to come by for the same reasons mentioned above. I have not seen these either but I have never thought to look for them. It is possible that they are out there but perhaps their use is unknown and not classified properly.

This is all pure speculation but simply the mention of pipes being capped

during that time period is new to me. I am putting forward theories that

would be the most likely answer but I could be way off base from what was the actual pratice. This is demanding some further research as I am really curious and would really like to know what was used.

John G.

Haddo's in a Royal Danish

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The lovely Heather at Darwinmist Studios a maker of fine clay pipes, and other works of art, had this to offer. She also sells some nice clay pipes.

If we are talking typical white clay tobacco pipes of those times then most of them were fairly plain with stems of about a hand span or two on the longer ones. Generally it is thought the captain would have enjoyed a nice long pipe were-as the sailors would have the shorter ones, or broken off stumps. They used to sharpen them with their knives on the Dutch ones especially because the stems were really thick and needed shaping smaller and being at sea for a long time meant you had to make do with what you had.

Dutch sailors from 1620 to 40 also favoured a pipe called a Jonas pipe... it's clay and the bowl is shaped like a mans head with beard facing the smoker with a crocodile head facing the man.

English pipes practically all plain with bowls of about half to 1 inch high and a milled line around the rim.

The USA was making pipes but many were exported from England with better products, although the Dutch were also supplying in other parts of the USA. Dutch and English pipes vary in shape quite a lot.

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I hate to say it but that link was kinda like remember to think before you ask or else you might get more information than you wanted... Great link, just not EP friendly.

Pushing the limits means getting out of my comfort zone and giving more when I don't think I have any left.

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I found this short article about caps on clay pipes with a drawing showing 2 examples.

capped pipes

it is toward the bottom of the page.

Capt Weaver

"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company. "

Dr. Samuel Johnson

Capt Weaver's Pirate Perversions

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I found this short article about caps on clay pipes with a drawing showing 2 examples.

capped pipes

it is toward the bottom of the page.

Capt Weaver

"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company. "

Dr. Samuel Johnson

Capt Weaver's Pirate Perversions

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this is a page about the clay pipes that were found on the man-o-war Kronan that sunk in 1676.

Kronan

there is one pipe shown with it's cover next to it.

Capt Weaver

"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company. "

Dr. Samuel Johnson

Capt Weaver's Pirate Perversions

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Remember that a pipe is can be made from almost anything. Now, weather it lasted long was one thing. You had Brier pipes. Glass was also used. Clay or in some cases stone was used.

There is a shop at the Texas Ren Fair (TRF) that makes them. I saw them this weekend. Wooden bowl and long stems. About $50. Booth is near Sherwood Forest. This year Renboots has a huge new shop and The Pirate's Treasure has expanded. Tri-corns were in abundance and very over priced. The best made one I found was actually not the most expensive but was still $95. I'll see if I can find a website on them.

--------------

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty well preserved piece without an even a kiss your hand, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, smelling of powder, shouting ARRRG!!"

sig1.jpg

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Well, authentic pipes of the golden age of piracy were undoubtedly made of clay. I'm not a stickler for authenticity for my own piratin' purposes, still, for the sake of those of us who are, I'm glad this information is available.

Heather of Darwinmist Studios also says:

Oh right, yes the Dutch pipes... I have one of these caps in my

collection as I have about 200-300 Dutch pipes and like to collect

these. The dutch often used these on their pipes which is why the rims

are nearly always sooted up black on the outer side. Sometimes you can

see where the rim fitted as it left some lines "ghosts" in the soot.

There were a variety of styles of the caps, with chains etc. Some were

like little nets. I heard that they also smoked them upsidedown int he

rain and the ash caps were meant to stop the ash from falling out.

The typical period in Dutch history for these I believe was about

1680-1850.

The Dutch supplied Germany with many of their pipes and lidded pipes

were common throughout Europe but not in England until the mid-late 19th century.

The caps were sometimes very ornate although the cheaper ones on the

Dutch pipes I have seen have lots of little legs that bend around the

bowl so that they can fit almost any shape.

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