Tobacco pipe history is nearly as old as humanity itself. Smoking pipes are depicted in Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Middle Eastern storytelling and all over artifacts from the Americas, pre-dating the European “discovery” by nearly a thousand years. Almost everywhere, in all parts of the world, the draw of a pipe has withstood the test of time.
Tobacco pipe history in the Americas
In the Americas, native tribes smoked a pipe to signify religious occasions, important life events (birth, death, marriage, etc) and to signify agreements and covenants. The term “Peace Pipe” originates from these tribes and the sharing of tobacco in a pipe to signify a contract.
The tobacco leaf itself is native to the Americas. Europeans did not have tobacco until the discovery of the Americas. This is why the type of pipe tobacco primarily grown in Great Britain, Ireland and Scotland is still referred to as “Virginias” today.
From stone to briar pipes
The briar pipes of today did not exist until the mid to late 1800s. Prior to that, most tobacco pipes were made from clay, stone and later Meerschaum in Europe. American pipes were often made from corn cobs, stone and gourds.
The pipes of the Renaissance and Victorian ages were primarily made of Meerschaum. However, the popularity of this expensive material would decline as new techniques for curing wood became available and briar was discovered to have superior smoking qualities.
Pipe stems change
A major change in the way pipes were made came when stems began to be made out of Acrylic substances which are more durable and help yield a cooler smoke.
Smaller tobacco pipes
Smoking pipes have gradually grown smaller and less ornate over the last 200 years. The average pipe today will fit in a small case or pocket, a far cry from the artistically carved giant meerschaums or long clay pipes and Churchwarden-esk pipes of the 15 and 1600s.
Rise and ebb of popularity
The popularity of tobacco pipes has risen and then ebbed over a dozen times just in modern history. We’re currently enjoying something of a renaissance for carvers and artisan pipe makers. We, like you, hope to see this rise continue for years to come. Tobacco pipe history may one day look back on this time and see it as a transition for the culture of smoking, just like we look back today at the emergence of briar.
