Acquisition ‘Uncle Paul’

27 January 2014

The so-called Uncle Paul pipe in a rustic finish is the first acquisition in 2014. It was a gift from an American ex-smoker who wanted to complement our collection. Uncle Paul is a specific shape with a wide cylindrical bowl connected to a strongly bent stem, practically going upright along the bowl and again a strong bent towards the mouthpiece. This shape was popular in the time around 1900, the name refers to Paul Krüger the president of South-Africa at that time.
This gift however is not a briar pipe as was to be expected, but a pipe in block meerschaum. In the late 1970's when this pipe was produced it was a highly fashionable pipe with its rustic, raw surface. The dark black coloring makes the pipe unrecognizable as a meerschaum pipe. Finally, the mother-of-pearl effect in the acrylic stem is a fashion of the time. With these specific features this pipe is a fine addition to the collection, registered under number APM 21.925.
Should you have some tobacco pipes, hidden in a cabinet or in the attic, even if they are not really old, bring them to our museum. It could very well be a welcome addition to our collection of the twentieth century smoking history.

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