Inspiration from the Indians

February 2014

Every year there are people in the world who want to try their luck with making pipes. Such an example is the pipe in this image, made by Czech ceramist Bohuslav Husak around the year 2000. Husak calls his company Kurdejovska Keramika and for that reason he marks his products with a real pipe maker's mark of the KK monogram in circle. His range is quite diverse, but all products can be traced to examples from the literature about pipes that are available to him. For example, the pipe depicted here is derived from an antique American Indian pipe that he carefully copied. The funnel-shaped bowl contrasts beautifully with the square stem, the stem decoration of a geometric screen is characteristic of the Indians of the Chippewa. It is not surprising that Husak included the word kalumet in the naming of this pipe. Although his pipes are cast in a plaster mould, this pipe, originally made of natural stone, doesn’t seem casted. The edges of the design are so sharp that they appear to be cut out of stone. Thanks to reducing firing, an extra alienating character was obtained with an unexpected gray black.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 21.832

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