Pipes of Mengelberg
20 July 2024
Willem Mengelberg, conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra for fifty years before the war, was also a dedicated pipe smoker. As a reminder of this illustrious conductor, his smoking chair still stands in the concert hall. Today a grandniece of Mengelberg presented us with a group of pipes that belonged to him. In addition to his beloved Peterson pipe, we chose the typical local shapes that were popular in Switzerland at the time. These are pipes that were kept in his house Chasa Mengelberg in Zuort, Switzerland. They are an appropriate addition to our twentieth-century briars, especially because with their Swiss twist they are unexpected and unique in design. Interestingly, these pipes were produced in Germany, Switzerland and France.
PermalinkDuco's manual available again
18 July 2024
The much-cited handbook on the Dutch clay pipe (1987) by Don Duco has been sold out since 2010. By a wonderful stroke of luck we found six copies, incorrectly stored more than ten years ago and still in new condition. For those who have been looking for this book for years, now is the chance to get their hands on it. The price is Euro 50. First ordered, first served!
Click here to order: https://pipeshop.nl/product/handboek-voor-nederlandse-kleipijp/
Website now in French language
7 July 2024
Our website www.pipemuseum.nl was available in Dutch and English from the start. Other languages were a wish, but not a reality. This will change with our French-speaking intern Clément. He translated the main pages in a month, the rest will follow in the coming weeks. Fortunately, Clément is handy enough with computers to be able to upload the text to the right place within our own CMS. Hopefully this language switch will encourage French, Belgians, Canadians and many others to visit our museum.
PermalinkDutch porcelain paintings
6 July 2024
A commendable article by ceramics expert Adri van der Meulen appeared in the publication Vormen uit Vuur number 255 this month. It concerns porcelain objects painted in the Netherlands with special decors, mainly intended as occasional goods. The publication outlines the framework within which this happened, using numerous objects as examples. The stummels painted on request are also included, mostly with professions. Some of these come from our collection. The article is a new addition to the better understanding of these curious objects painted on request.
PermalinkCarved wooden tobacco box
1 July 2024
This elongated tobacco box has the same model as the traditional Dutch brass tobacco boxes from the second half of the eighteenth century. The form and design is also based on this. On the lid we see three medallions with figures surrounded by Louis XV motifs. The performance is a bit folksy, but done with panache. The outer edge shows a series of connected classical buildings. You would hope that they could be identified, but unfortunately that is not the case. What makes this well-preserved box so intriguing is that its meaning, known to everyone at the time, now appears to be a mystery. It is certain that such boxes were made in series, but where and when exactly is not even known. With extra attention in the coming months, we will hopefully learn a little more about the background of this attractive box.
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