Some manufacturers emblazoned advertising slogans in the ceramic. People used pipes to advertise their political leanings, commemorate national events, and express their personalities-much like any other accessory, then or now. The bowls of some clay pipes were molded into faces, including those of famous people and recognizable figures. For some collectors, slip-cast pipes are less desirable-they don’t require the artistry of press casting. The water in the liquid would wick away through the plaster, leaving behind a fragile clay form that could then be fired. This method involved preparing a liquid clay mixture, called a slip, and pouring it into a plaster mold. Later, molds were made of metal, such as iron.īy the mid-19th century, the slip-casting method had overtaken press-casting in popularity. Ornate pipes would be made in intricate, sometimes multi-piece molds. Then excess clay could be carefully trimmed off, and it could be finished with additional carving. From there, the pipe was dried and fired in a kiln until it was hard. The pipe was then removed from the mold, and the wire was pushed into the bowl, forming a bore-a clear path for smoke. This displaced the clay there, forcing it into all the unfilled parts of the mold and leaving the bowl hollow. The mold was then compressed in a vise, and an additional mold piece was pushed into the pipe’s bowl. Next, the clay was rolled into a blank in the rough shape of the pipe mold, and a small metal rod was inserted into the stem end before the clay piece was pressed into the mold. Originally this was done by hand and later by machine. The traditional method of pipe making was press casting, a process that could vary slightly according to region. First, the moist clay was vigorously beaten to release tiny air bubbles trapped within it. Most of these pipes are made from easy-to-obtain white kaolin clay. However, in the early 1900s, demand for clay pipes waned, thanks to the rising popularity of cigarettes and pipes made from briar and meerschaum. The English production method was duplicated worldwide, and the clay pipe industry thrived in England, the U.S., and Canada. They may have done this because it was challenging to replicate the thin stems of Gouda pipes from the Netherlands. French artisans developed short-stemmed clay pipes. In France, the clay pipe industry was taking off, fueled by a ban on importing foreign goods. were made by major manufacturers located in large cities, including London and Bristol. For some families, pipe making was a cottage business.īy the mid to late 1800s, clay pipe production was more industrialized. Eventually, almost every city and town in the country had its own pipe maker. The demand for clay pipes continued to grow.
Tobacco smoking was wildly popular by then, even though the king had aggressively taxed it and denounced it as filthy. In 1619, England’s King James I granted a royal charter to a group of clay pipe makers, forming the first recognized association for these tradespeople. Then, in the early 1600s, travelers from England brought clay pipe-making methods to the Netherlands, seeding a pipe industry in the city of Gouda that would thrive over the next 250 years. The art of clay pipe making developed soon after. Tobacco was introduced into England in the mid-15th century. Colorful paints and glazes create an engaging scene of everyday life on this particular pipe.
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