Balancing with pipes
avril 2014
The fragility of the clay pipe made circus artists of the eighteenth century perform by doing tricks with the long Gouda pipe. This balancing with pipes is shown on this wall tile. The eighteenth century Rotterdam Magito family had a patent on these shows, they were famous as cord dancers who juggled pipes. Of course, the Magito family did not have sole rights. In other places, circus artists also qualified to amaze the public with their balancing skills. What is special is that such a forgotten trick has been recorded on this wall tile. In this case, it is not surprising that the tile shows the Magito family. The tile baker was in fact a Rotterdammer and therefore made a picture that was not entirely free of chauvinism. It is quite understandable that the clay pipe act has since disappeared from the circus. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, clay pipes have become expensive and by consequence unaffordable to train with these fragile objects. In this way a unusual piece of folklore disappeared.
Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 21.911
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