Portrait of a cheerful singer

October 2005

The craze for the portrait pipe is during the nineteenth century. After the First World War, the tobacco pipe is hardly a conversation piece shown to express your personal interest. It is therefore not surprising that only a limited number of examples are known from the twentieth century. This specimen is a wonderful exception. The smiling figure portrays Fernandel, the famous comedian who broke through in the late 1920s and faced a long career. In addition to performances in theaters, he is known for countless shots of filming. His very recognizable broad grin and mouth full of teeth became his trademark. For a pipe maker of course an ideal feature to make his portait pipe easy to identify. With this pipe the likeness was especially successful because its striking teeth are made of ivory and therefore contrasts fantastically with the warm tint of the wood. The maker signed the pipe on the tige, the wooden stem piece, with his name: M. Pech, but unfortunately this name is not known from historical sources. As a result of the wonderful craftsmanship, this successful portrait pipe must date from the thirties, although the popularity of Fernandel extended well after his death in 1971.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 17.619

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