Mixed clay marbled pipes

[toot]

I used to find hundreds on them in potato fields when I was a kid hunting for arrow heads. they would break when the farmer was plowing the fields behind his horse, and having a smoak.

 

[Jay Templin]

I smoked clays for decades. Wax the tips, and when they get really dirty, bake them in the coals of your fire overnight to clean them. Some of them lasted for years, with the stems getting progressively shorter through misadventure. Others broke in just a day or two. I use one of the last I smoked- a real Yorkshire nose-warmer by the end- as a measure for my smoothbores, as the bowl holds 70 grain of powder or shot by volume. We see that practice in a few period images, like this one, “The Reclining Sportsman.”

Jay

 

[Loyalist Dave]

But does anyone know of an historic example of this

You are correct, they are at least 19th century if not newer, from what I've read. I know of a "marbled" 17th century pipe found in Turkey, but it's actually made of marble, not marbled clay.

So what? A regular use of a plain clay pipe will get it stained brown and black. Use it, especially since the plain ones are in short supply.

Clay Pipes for sale

LD

 

[Red Owl]

I must be clay pipe challenged. If I carried one in that heart shaped tobacco pouch the stem would snap off in an hour or so. I now use a reed pipe- so far so good. I've thought about carving some sort of pipe from wood and plastering the outside to make it look like a clay pipe but not break.

 

[Cruzatte]

I must be clay pipe challenged. If I carried one in that heart shaped tobacco pouch the stem would snap off in an hour or so. I now use a reed pipe- so far so good. I've thought about carving some sort of pipe from wood and plastering the outside to make it look like a clay pipe but not break.

Won't work. If you keep breaking clay pipes, the clay on the outside of your wood pipe will just crack off all to pieces because wood and clay react differently to heat.

I have a couple of solutions:

1. Carve yourself a pipe bowl from Osage Orange. I have such a pipe I've been smoking for over 40 years. It's a dense, very hard wood, and makes a great pipe.
2. Order a clay pipe with a reed stem from Townsend's.
3. Toss in the towel and realize that clay pipes are fragile and order them two or three at a time. I can't tell you how many clays I've broken over the last 35 years.

 

[Red Owl]

Well, me too. That's why I switched to the reed pipe- in fact I got it from Townsend. Great people.

 

[Tradbow]

I live in the Deep South and clay pipes still turn up in the old fields from time to time. My brother in law found the last one that came from the farm I grew up on. All the land where I live was plantations back in the 1810-1870

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Y'know, corn cob pipes were also used in the 1700's, as were those made of meerschaum.

 

[tenngun]

I seem to have read meschaum was first used cr 1720. The story goes an English man on grand tour found some blocks in Greece or Turkey, where it was used for charms and cheap jewelry.
He gave the blocks to a wood carver in Hungary to make something nice out of. The carver thought they would make nice pipes. His bees wax stained hands left color on the white stone when smoked, and the queen of pipes was born.
I don’t know if any we’re getting in to colonial hands
Washington, famous for chopping down cherry trees, did in fact plant groves of cherry trees specifically to produce wood for pipe making.

 

[Mad L]

Never seen a marbled clay pipe in recorded history, personally I think it's a new thing (1900s). There are also black clay pipes, I have heard it 'said' they were make in Germany way back but that only came from the company selling them today.

As far as being hard to carry without breaking; yes, so was any form of Glass or Pottery. I have broken more onion bottles and leather/gourd canteens then I have clay pipes.

There are artifacts of special Cases both wooden and metal for carrying clay pipes; Not Cheap, not even the few replicas I have seen.
I have also heard of them being carried in reed tubes, and of course the ever popular Neck Bags.
Myself, I always found my hand, mouth, hat band to be the safest way, or I wrap it in a cloth, carefully pack it in my gear and hope for the best.
I have two now, one heavily smoked (dirty) one I keep clean that I have had for...maybe...7 or 8 years. Others in the past only lasted weeks or months (never broke one in just "days"). And I always keep a few spares at home.

If your a hunter; you find a way.
If your a smoker; you find a way.
If your just trying to imitate; best of luck.