www.pijpenkabinet.nl - topics from the Pijpenkabinet collections

The Pijpenkabinet displays five original pipes found in a burial grave in Laos, which date back 4000 years and are the oldest smoking pipes in the world, although we do not know what people smoked in these items.

The era of the tobacco smoking is inaugurated with a simple tubular shaped pipe originating from the Jama Coaque culture in Ecuador and dating at circa 550 before Christ. The modelled decoration on the top of the smoke tube represents a sitting woman.

The longest pipe in the world is another topic. Not as old as the previous ones, but certainly special in shape. The product was made circa 1825 by the famous Delft potter Piccardt. With its curled stem of over 7,5 meters it was up till recent days the world record in stem length!

On permanent view are twenty clay pipes, which are framed in ornamental gilt scroll work and made in 1897 for the occasion of a visit of the Dutch Queen. This commemorative piece once was the status of the most important Dutch clay pipe works.

A present of royal importance is a porcelain pipe with its bowl showing three human faces, painted in naturalistic colours and mounted in silver. This special design was made in 1743 in Meissen by Johann Ehder. The pipe is presented with its horn stem in its original green shagreen box.

Artistically interesting are the finely carved meerschaum pipes. A unique and sophisticated piece was donated by emperor Napoleon to one of his officers. The lid is decorated with four horses in gilt silver. Completely different are the erotic representations, stunning and unexpected because they date from the Victorian era.

More crude but highly sought after are the typical Staffordshire pipes with the colourful glazes and long, snakelike stems. They served as the showpieces for the English farmers in the early nineteenth century.

From the American Indians the calumet is one of the attractions. With its beautiful red stone bowl and hardwood stem with quill work and feathers of rare birds, this is one of the roots of our European smoking culture.

A ceremonial Cameroon chief pipe has a long wooden stem, decorated with a geometric pattern consisting of 27,500 miniature beads, in a wide range of colours. These pipes served as status objects for chiefs to underline their importance.

Next to the topics mentioned above and many more, the Pijpenkabinet displays as well the common everyday pipe. In that respect the museum does not make a distinction between the higher and the humble pipe.

Of the most exclusive pipes a permanent presentation has been built in tailor-made cabinets. This imposing exhibition in historic environment is on the main floor of the Pijpenkabinet building. It is a guaranteed impressive scene even for those with a cursory interest in pipe smoking.

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