Antler pipe with religious carving

août 2019

For the pipe smoker, the nineteenth century is the time of the imaginative, but equally monstrous creations. This pipe balances in between. It is made from a piece of stag horn that has a wonderful shape with its whimsical excesses. Unexpected natural materials were loved in the nineteenth century to turn into an original tobacco pipe. When antlers were used, it was mainly the gnarled crown pieces that give the end product a rustic look. We usually see hunting scenes on such pipes, all the more exceptional that the theme here is religious in nature, with textual predominance. In addition to the text bands, we see twice a somewhat unclearly designed griffin. As a surprise, a majestic portrait of Christ is depicted on the underside. Finally, the silver lid bears the gracefully engraved initials JH of the owner. He will have shown himself with pride with this pipe, as we can infer from the traces of smoke in the bowl. We can only guess about his connection with the depiction.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 22.966

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