www.pijpenkabinet.nl - pipe makers' marks

Pipemakers' marks

Clay tobacco pipes often have a makers mark on the heel. In most of the cases these marks are stamped on the heel of the pipe with a special stamp, engraved with either a figure, initial or cipher. The Gouda marks are always nicely detailed, even on the small scale of 4 millimetres.

By the end of the seventeenth century a second way of marking pipes was introduced in Gouda. Pipes of the course quality were given a makers' mark in relief on the side of the pipe bowl. These pipes were short stemmed and served the workman, soon followed by the farmers. Hence, these pipes are generally known as farmers' pipes. Marks with initials of the makers or simple numbers are not really attractive, but depictions of persons, animals and utensils from daily life often show a primitive charm.

The mark was not only applied on the pipes. As an advertisement it was also printed on the paper wrappers that covered the boxes with pipes. For that purpose the mark was placed in a cartouche often surmounted with the coat of arms of the city of origin. A text ribbon gave to read the name and address of the maker. The best designs of these advertisements were made in Gouda in the years between 1740 and 1750, where some silversmith specialised in this work. Many of these printing blocks were kept in use over generations and some of the early eighteenth century designs were still used in the nineteenth century.

A rare example of the pride of a maker for his mark is illustrated with a Bohemian goblet with on the cuppa the engraving of a famous Gouda pipemakers' mark, especially in use for exportation. Possibly this kind of goblet, being one of a pair, was used during the official meetings of the guild masters, when discussing the situation of the industry.

The pipemakers' guild of Gouda kept a registration of all the marks in use. These documents now make clear who were the original owners of the marks. When the guild servant visited the members for control he carried a wooden tablet with all the registered makers' marks.

From the middle of the nineteenth century the value of the pipemakers mark declined. The customer is no longer interested in the renowned mark on a traditional pipe, in stead he is looking for a fashionable design. From 1880 onwards the makersmark is replaced by the full name of the manufacturer, that is impressed on the stem of the pipe.