PUMPED about this spot! Need help dating my first clay pipe!

[silversnacher]

Anybody know how to date a clay pipe? Thanks!

 

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[silversnacher]

I don't know if this is a seam or not? Here is some other stuff I found nearby

 

[taz42o]

Use a drill bit to measure the hole to the stem .They can be dated that way.

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

 

[silversnacher]

Use a drill bit to measure the hole to the stem .They can be dated that way.

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

Thanks! Will it still work since I don't have the mouthpiece? Is the hole the same size were it is broken off? Thank you soooooo much!

 

[silversnacher]

Does anyone know why there is that little ball on the bottom?

 

[surf]

Hello silversnacher,

It looks like a latter 19th Century to early 20th Century example, judging by the size and orientation of the bowl. The "little ball" on the bottom is variously called the "heel," or the "foot," and I've also seen them called a "spur," I believe. They were intended as a foot or base, to keep the pipe upright when placed on a table, or other surface.

Are there no markings moulded or impressed upon it? What, if anything, is embossed on the bottles you found with it?

 

[CRUSADER]

Hello silversnacher,

It looks like a latter 19th Century to early 20th Century example, judging by the size and orientation of the bowl. The "little ball" on the bottom is variously called the "heel," or the "foot," and I've also seen them called a "spur," I believe. They were intended as a foot or base, to keep the pipe upright when placed on a table, or other surface.

Are there no markings moulded or impressed upon it? What, if anything, is embossed on the bottles you found with it?

Agreed, its a really late one based on its size.

 

[Silver Searcher]

A good way of dating clay pipes can be done by means of the size of the stem hole. The larger thick more weathered pipe stems that are often found with a bigger hole in the middle tend to be earlier from the 17th-18th Centuries, whereas thinner stems with even sides, smoother surfaces and much smaller holes tend to be from the 19th Century. It is worth mentioning also here that Dutch pipes of the 18th Century have very long narrow stems with smaller holes whereas English pipes of the same period tend to have larger holes.

SS

 

[CRUSADER]

Basically, looking at the chart, you can see it must be post-1860

 

[silversnacher]

Hello silversnacher,

It looks like a latter 19th Century to early 20th Century example, judging by the size and orientation of the bowl. The "little ball" on the bottom is variously called the "heel," or the "foot," and I've also seen them called a "spur," I believe. They were intended as a foot or base, to keep the pipe upright when placed on a table, or other surface.

Are there no markings moulded or impressed upon it? What, if anything, is embossed on the bottles you found with it?

One was a tar and honey mixture bottle from Chicago but I left it since it was broken. Thanks for the info! I love how some people know so much about so specific stuff!

 

[silversnacher]

What do you guys think the LATEST it could be is? Like 20s? Or do you know when people stopped using pipes like this?

 

[theory_z]

hey silversnatcher, I really like this piece, and it is definitely too bad that it is not complete! I think the 'ball' on the bottom of the pipe looks like it should work as a slide-mount for it. I don't know anything about old items like this pipe, but this one here appears to have a 'semi-lock' slide-mount pin. It looks like it was made to have slid into place along a groove instead of being simply laid into a hole to hold it. If the end of the pin is wider than the base, then I think it was made to be mounted. Very sophisticated.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

i'm alittle confused as why this wouldn't be in the time frame of 1820s to 1860s?? but post 1860? I have found some pipes like this before and always thought 1820-1860s period using that chart that Mr. Crusader posted. Thanks for the education guys.

 

[silversnacher]

hey silversnatcher, I really like this piece, and it is definitely too bad that it is not complete! I think the 'ball' on the bottom of the pipe looks like it should work as a slide-mount for it. I don't know anything about old items like this pipe, but this one here appears to have a 'semi-lock' slide-mount pin. It looks like it was made to have slid into place along a groove instead of being simply laid into a hole to hold it. If the end of the pin is wider than the base, then I think it was made to be mounted. Very sophisticated.

Wow! Thanks for the info

 

[surf]

Hey silversnacher,

Theory z's "theory" is completely not the case. These pipes were made in a 2 piece mould. There is a seam line bisecting the foot of the pipe. They were not made to slide into any groove, nor into a hole. It is not any kind of "'semi-lock' slide-mount pin." It is the foot, or heel of the pipe.

The following picture illustrates the function of the foot:

 

[surf]

i'm alittle confused as why this wouldn't be in the time frame of 1820s to 1860s?? but post 1860? I have found some pipes like this before and always thought 1820-1860s period using that chart that Mr. Crusader posted. Thanks for the education guys.

Hey HSD,

See the forward rake of the bowls on the chart that CRU posted. That is one of the hallmarks of the older style pipes. The pipe literature calls it "ladle style."

silversnacher's bowl is near perpendicular to the angle of the stem. This is an indicator of the later pipes.

Clay pipes are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance amongst pipe smokers these days: Clay Pipes Big Ben Churchwarden Clay Pipe Pipes at Smoking Pipes .com

"Pipemaker's initials WR with mullets (stars)
stamped in relief on the base of the heel of
a pipe dated to c 1660-80" Clay tobacco pipe makers' marks from London: Clay pipes and the archaeologist

 

[VictorVincimus]

That's cool! What are the details of the find?

Thats all I need is one more hobby. I have to quit my job.

 

[beau-bc]

Good find,hard to find a bowl whole.I've only found the 2 shown, the whole one came out of a outhouse hole, fellow digger found a dozen whole ones,don't remember how he got them white again.It has embossed initials R O A B and horns on it.

 

[kuger]

...as the story goes with these "Penny Pipes",is they were "rented",for a penny a smoke at the tavern or drinking tent,when the patron was done,the small piece of stem that would have contacted the smokers lips would be broke off,the pipe re packed and ready for the next customer

Clay Pipe Collection

 

[VictorVincimus]

How deep into the hole was it?

Thats all I need is one more hobby. I have to quit my job.