Always Balthasar

18 November 2025

This popular pipe shape is well known, it was made in countless variations from 1840 onward. Collectors call it the Balthasar. The famous Gambier factory even produced it as a clay pipe in two sizes. This model was also cast in Ruhla, Germany, but there it was made of siderolith. The copy depicted here is an unexpected and rare variation. The pacha, as this representation is actually called, is carved from walnut. It is a fine piece of craftsmanship that was certainly not produced in large numbers. This acquisition also demonstrates intensive use. The glass eyes add a playful element and complete the object.

News archive