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Description: | The socket from a clay tobacco pipe pipe bowl.Dr David Higgins comments:The stem would have fitted in the opening (shown uppermost in the photograph) and the bowl is completely missing from the lower end. From the photos, it looks like there are fine inclusions in the clay and, possibly, traces of a red slip coating on the surface. If this is the case, then it may well be from Italy - these are not very common in this country, and usually of poorer quality than this when they do occur. The form, however, looks quite well developed and is more akin to those produced in northern France. I would, however, expect French products to be made of a typical pure white clay. Also, the northern French products usually have a pattern number and/or manufacturers mark on the socket, rather than just floral decoration. So, its origin is a little uncertain, but I would certainly favour southern Europe if it can be shown that there are fine sandy grains in the fabric and traces of a slip coat. It looks like it would have been quite a well made pipe originally and something that was a bit different and 'exotic' in its day.In summary, this is an interesting imported piece and one that does not fit into the normal pattern of imports found in this country. Datewise, these socketed bowls were being introduced in France in the early nineteenth century and appear here from around the 1830s or 1840s onwards. Given the uncertainties over the exact origin of this piece, its hard to be sure of the date, but I would have thought that c1840-1900 ought to cover it.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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