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Beadwork

Only a few pipes in our collection are that oversized as this one. With its length of almost two meters and a bowl height of nearly thirty centimetres this product is one of the larger examples of pipes in the African culture and besides the size, especially the decorations are remarkable.

In Cameroon the tobacco pipe is not only a beloved smoke article but also an object of prestige. La pipe du chef is a large to oversized pipe, not in the first place meant to be smoked, but serving to underline the status of the owner. Such a pipe is here illustrated.

The pipe bowl is made in simple terra cotta and has a high rather narrow shape that is slightly conical. The bottom is flat having a hole in the centre to drain the pipe, because the tobacco the Grassland people smoke is rather moist. According to the tradition the pipes are highly decorated often with repeating geometrical patterns full of symbolism. This pipe shows a large rectangular panel with stylised spiders alternated with knobs. The bowl opening is decorated with a series of lion's nails that are arranged as a series of petals around the bowl opening. Finally, the base is decorated with a stylisation of four spiders.

Also the upgoing stem, over its full length connected with the pipe bowl, is decorated with geometrical patterns showing three different groups. The lower where the stem is the thickest shows an oval that is roughened, the middle part has a fine pattern of lines while the top is decorated with a series of six concentric rings. These pipes were originally made in series of every imaginable size. They were not modelled by hand but were carved from a block of leather hard river clay. Therefore the motifs have a very specific shape caused by the carving and there were the point of the knifes meet, sometimes small seams are visible.

The pipe bowl is fitted with its original wooden stem embellished with an incredible masterpiece of bead work. Round the stem a nice and colourful geometrical pattern of bead work is made. The repeating pattern varies from simple and explicit to refined and more complicated geometrical patterns. While the stem is being thinner near the mouthpiece de decoration becomes more complicated, giving it a most special effect. How labour intensive this work has been, is proved by the fact that about 27.600 beads have been used!

The mouthpiece is made from cast bronze and is tapering. Where its meets with the beadwork it has a nice rim of pearls, while on the other end a disc shape can be found.

This kind of pipes is not meant for actual smoking, they served as a present to important persons. During official ceremonies they were carried around to underline the status of the owner. It is not known who once possessed this pipe. Anyhow the pipe reached Spain and was offered for sale in Madrid in the late 1980's together with four less spectacular pieces from the same source. It was sold there in an auction and since that time the series of five pipes are part of the

Amsterdam, Pijpenkabinet collections Pk 15.885

Read more on Cameroon pipes in: Don Duco, Rookgerei vol van symboliek, tabakspijpen uit de Graslanden van Kameroen, Amsterdam, 1999 (see literature list § 19)