Janus from the second generation
December 2024
It is known that the Gouda pipe makers in the nineteenth century were not among the best pipe designers. While the French pipe factories produced beautiful, lifelike portrait pipes from 1820 onwards, the appearance of the Gouda clay pipe, which was still determined by tradition and simplicity, faded. The Gouda manufacturers realize their shortcomings and although they strive for innovation, they don't have the gift for it. This amusing portrait of a man and woman as a Janus figure proves the lack of design thinking on the part of the Gouwenaars. The faces lack any character, no trace of a cheekbone or eye socket, also note the mechanical design of the hairstyle. In addition, even the concept is not innovative. It is by no means an invention from the nineteenth century, but an outright copy of a pipe from around the year 1700, which was really progressive in its time. Only the bowl size has been adapted to the requirements of the modern time; it has become a bit higher to be able to contain more tobacco, otherwise the design is unchanged. This pipe bowl does prove the limited capabilities of the Gouda pipe manufacturers, who had to suffer that their industry was gradually overtaken by foreign nouveautés.
Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 24.860
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