Help with Colonial Era clay pipe stem...

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,

I am writing to ask if there are any references out there on clay pipes? I finally found one at the Colonial spot I have been working in Louisiana that has a maker's name on it. I can only see a few letters on the 1 inch long piece, but it appears to be "DR CH" I think there is a faint "I" between those two pairs of letters ("DRICH"). Are there any clay pipe makers for whom this is a recognized mark? This will be of great help in dating the site. Many have said that clay pipes lasted up until the mid 1800s. This is true, but the coins from that part of the site have dated 1740 to 1814, all silver.

If a photo is needed, I am happy to post it, but very little to see except the letters and some design around the stem piece.

I am hoping someone will have some information or even an ID of the pipe's maker.

Best Wishes,


Buckles

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[Silver Searcher]

Hello All,

I am writing to ask if there are any references out there on clay pipes? I finally found one at the Colonial spot I have been working in Louisiana that has a maker's name on it. I can only see a few letters on the 1 inch long piece, but it appears to be "DR CH" I think there is a faint "I" between those two pairs of letters ("DRICH"). Are there any clay pipe makers for whom this is a recognized mark? This will be of great help in dating the site. Many have said that clay pipes lasted up until the mid 1800s. This is true, but the coins from that part of the site have dated 1740 to 1814, all silver.

If a photo is needed, I am happy to post it, but very little to see except the letters and some design around the stem piece.

I am hoping someone will have some information or even an ID of the pipe's maker.

Best Wishes,


Buckles

Hi Will.....don't know wether this UK site will help, but you never know. Clay Tobacco Pipes

SS

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks for the link, SS! I have been sifting throught things online, but there are so very many makers, and with a highly active port so close by (New Orleans), the pipe could've been manufactured just about anywhere. I may not know anything unless by chance I find another part of the stem.

 

[timekiller]

Here's a couple sites I had on pipes Buck,may help some if you find the right parts.............
Pontchartrain Illustrations

I like this one cause it talks more about the type found here being around the contact period,& more like the type I find very early colonial & native american mixed..............
400-Year-Old Personalized Pipes Found at Jamestown
If nothing else thought you might like reading about the earliest type & how they became.
I may have some more but it will take me awhile to go through all the favoriets I got,
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[Bramblefind]

If you have a set of drill bits you can measure the bore and it might help to date the stem.

Here is a guide:

Diameter	Dates
	9/64 8/64 7/64 6/64 5/64 4/64		1590-1620 1620-1650 1650-1680 1680-1720 1720-1750 1750-1800

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks Bramblefind. Most of the stems at the site are 4/64, but some are 5/64 size.

 

[Bramblefind]

Yes it is an interesting theory to use that method but probably only really worthwhile with a large sample. I found a stem at my parents' house and it was 5/64 but I know that had to be about 50 years too early (at the earliest).

Could there be letters before the "DRICH"? It could be something like Goodrich, Aldrich...etc.

Are the letters raised or stamped in?