Pipe gurus

verbious

Sr. Member
Jun 21, 2012
435
614
Elizabeth, PA
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75 SE
Bounty Hunter Platinum (back up)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
What do I have here? 1519167945368.jpg
 

Upvote 16
Common clay pipe from roughly 1800's to 1900's. Made by the millions but always a good find. Indicates the possibility of seated, barber or even gold coins. Good luck. Hope you find a huge cache of gold. -Guardez
 

It was made in Mogadore Ohio by The Akron Clay Pipe Factory in the 1880s-90s. I Lived in Mogadore from 1967 to 1971. There were 29 potteries in Mogadore during the 1800s. I found one of the many pottery dumps in 68 and started digging. Dug up crocks, jugs, pitchers and THOUSANDS of Pipes. Yours was one of the more popular styles but not the most popular. When we moved to Greensboro in 1971, I was 17 and brought a little over 5,000 pipes with me. I started selling out of the trunk of my 37 Plymouth Coupe at Flea Markets and sold all of them in the first year. I went back several times and dug more and sold them. My wife and I actually dug pipes during our honeymoon in 1982 and drove to the Spring National Muzzle Loader Meet in Friendship Indiana to sell them.
 

The same company that ran the Mogadore pipe factory also owned the one in Pamplin Virginia and shared molds so you could have pipes made in either place that looked the same except Pamplin pipes were Red CLay and Mogadore pipes were grey ironstone clay.
 

To make it even more confusing, the two factories exchange clay as well as molds, so you could have a red clay pipe from Mogadore or a grey ironstone clay pipe from Pamplin. The Salt Glaze on yours is DEFINATELY Mogadore. I dug up a complete kiln in 1969 or 70 only to have the land owner come out and make me rebury it.
 

The same company that ran the Mogadore pipe factory also owned the one in Pamplin Virginia and shared molds so you could have pipes made in either place that looked the same except Pamplin pipes were Red CLay and Mogadore pipes were grey ironstone clay.
Thank you so much! I found this at a cabin location that was established in the 1860s and was around until just after the Depression. Know I have some information to go from and I can add some more knowledge to the vault!
 

So to be sure, this pipe could be over 100 years old?

Would there be a makers mark? or mold mark?
 

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I don't mean to hijack this thread but it is bringing back memories. Here are some pics of Mogadore pipes that I dug up. I kept one of each type. The top Left Pipe was the most popular. Most in the top row were advertising pipes. They had tobacco company names on the pipes and would come in a pouch of tobacco. Your pipe is second row down, far left IMG_1581.JPGIMG_1582.JPGIMG_1583.JPGIMG_1584.JPGIMG_1585.JPG
 

Yes, It is over 100 years old. I think the factory closed in 1896. Some pipes had a letter in the bottom of the bowl but I think that they were mold letters instead of makers marks. I was so crazy that I would carry "digging" clothes to school and go dig on my lunch hour and then after school. I rode my bike and would fill front and back baskets every time and some times, I would dig so much that I would have to go home to get one of my parents to come get the rest in the car. I got my 65 mustang stuck in the mud next to our house in 1971, I went into the basement and brought up two 5 gallon buckets of pipes and poured a bucket under each back wheel to get out. They are still there, I would bet! 300-400 pipes to get a car unstuck!
 

When I lived in Mogadore, the original pipe factory was the paint shop at the local Chevrolet dealership. The dealership lot was asphalt on a base of reject clay pipes a couple of feet thick. There was a hedge at the back of the lot and I would sneek under the bushes and dig up UNDER the asphalt parking lot to get pipes. Now ya'll know how I ended up this crazy!
 

Congrats on the pipe it's a real keeper.
 

I have to say first of all, that was a great find. The history behind it by IndianSteve was just amazing. I can truly say I have learned something new today. Great work from both of you. :notworthy:
 

Now I want to go back and dig pipes... but the last two times I was escorted out of town by the local PD.
 

Forgive my ignorance here but, was a stem attached to these pipes or were they smoked as they are? Seems to me it would be awful hot! Any pictures of people actually smoking them?
 

Forgive my ignorance here but, was a stem attached to these pipes or were they smoked as they are? Seems to me it would be awful hot! Any pictures of people actually smoking them?
From the pictures I've seen, and I'm sure Indian Steve will know for sure, I think that they used a quilt for the stem.
 

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