Meerschaum pipes
28 February 2013
Today a selection from our carved meerschaum pipes. The earlier examples have the characteristic high Hungarian bowl with carved decoration. The design gets more imaginative after 1850 with a number of portrait pipes. Many of these are meant for smoking cheroots, small cigars. The absorbing quality of the meerschaum makes that even the end of a cigar still tastes well, since all nicotine and tar is taken by the material.
PermalinkRegistered museum
26 February 2013
The Amsterdam Pipe Museum formerly Pijpenkabinet has met the standards of the international ICOM-definition for over 30 years. In February 2013 the museum was assessed by the Dutch Museum Register. The status of Registered Museum introduced in 2006 was reassigned.
PermalinkPorcelain pipes with figural decorations
22 February 2013
Porcelain is an alternative material for tobacco pipes since the early 18th century. At first these figural pipe bowls were made in small numbers as exclusive objects. From 1800 onward the oval bowl, called "Stummel" or Dutch shape, comes into fashion, the decoration focusing on the painting. From then on the figural pipe is only produced as curiosity. After 1860 the porcelain pipes becomes a mass produced item, lacking any quality. It is the time for Kitsch in figural bowls as well as Stummels. For the full photo album about figural porcelain tobacco pipes, see the facebook page of the Amsterdam Pipe Museum of 22 February 2013.
PermalinkThe clay pipe as archaeological find
9 February 2013
A small selection of clay pipes comes from archaeological digs. While most of the Gouda clay pipes were plain and undecorated, some of them have a detailed embossed decoration resulting from the engraving of the brass pipe mould. The eighteenth century also brings the first figural pipe bowls. It will however last till the nineteenth century before the figural pipe bowls become popular and the embossed decorations disappear.
PermalinkColleague visits us
8 February 2013
On 8 February 2013 the director and staff received Sigrid Ivo, director of the Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam. This proved to be an inspiring visit since both museums share the same experience, both in the collector circles as in the museum world.
PermalinkPre-Columbian smoking pipes
5 February 2013
A selection of the rich collection of tobacco pipes from pre-Columbian cultures. In Meso-America most pipes were made in ceramic. Clay is easy to form, the baking techniques were well-developed and the result is fire resisting. The use of slip resulted in a contrasting color. Rare pieces however are carved out of stone, such as the unique penis pipe from the Jalisco culture. For the full photo album see the facebook page of the Amsterdam Pipe Museum of 5 February 2013.
PermalinkFrom Pijpenkabinet to Amsterdam Pipe Museum
1 February 2013
Museum Pijpenkabinet has changed its name. The future name will be in English and more international: Amsterdam Pipe Museum. The additional pay-off says: the worldwide culture of smoking.
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