Walter Raleigh Smoking Pipe Stem

One partial Walter Raleigh smoking pipe stem made of white ball clay. The stem is decorated on both sides depicting the eyes, scales, and open mouth of a sharp toothed sea monster, whale, or crocodile. The creature's forked tongue is visible on one side, which was crudely used to represent the spouting of a whale in the 17th century. The bowl is missing. A complete Walter Raleigh pipe includes a bowl in the shape of a 17th century gentleman thought to represent Sir Walter Raleigh. These pipes are Dutch in origin and were popular in port towns in the Netherlands circa 1630-1640. The stem of this pipe is 4.3 cm long and the bore hole diameter is 6/64 inches.

• Object number

  186.1

• Date made

  ca. 1630 - ca. 1640

• Dimensions

  Length 4.3 cm

  Bore Diameter 6 inches

• Decoration

  Walter Raleigh

• Color

  White

• Animals/objects

  Smoking Pipe

• Category

  Personal

• Class

  Ceramic

• Material

  Ball Clay

• Context

  Stadt Huys Block 554 - 186

• Forms

  Stem

• Techniques

  Molded