Quote:
Originally Posted by landhoney
What is the "purpose" of very long pipes like these:
http://www.davidspiwak.com/Antique%20Pipes.html
I saw some paintings of pipes like these on a recent trip to Europe/Russia and wondered why these style pipes are not used anymore (seemingly).
Thank you for your help.  |
Great question!
The purpose of the longest, skinniest one is to smoke opium. Not my area of expertise but I've seen them around over the years.
The (now novelty) porcelain/tree-branch pipes were probably the bees knees until some bright boy figured out that briar made for a cool, long-lasting pipe chamber. Briar is recent on the scene - late 19th century; tabak started arriving in europe, I would guess, in the mid-1600s. Clay, metal and porcelain worked until something better came along.
This is strictly a guess; it'll hold water until something better comes along from a better guesser OR an actual pipe scientist.
