SMOKER’S PIPE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1939, Page 7

SMOKER’S PIPE

ITS FASCINATING HISTORY INTRODUCTION OF TOBACCO. RELICS OF PAST TIMES. A recent repor.t from Hungary states that research chemists have perfected an extract from tobacco that looks just like transparent paper, and will be used instead of paper in cigarette-mak-ing. So soon we may have cigarettes which are not alone made wholly from tobacco, but also have their insides visible (writes Steven Henty in the “Melbourne Argus”). In the four centuries since Columbus. discovered America, since seamen attracted staggered crowds by smoking in the streets of London, since Sir Walter Raleigh, Court personage and heavy smoker, introduced tobacco to English aristocracy, there have been countless methods devised for enjoying tobacco. At first pipes were scarce and valuable in England. Often several men would share the same pipe, taking turns to draw. There were simple pipes of walnut shell, fitted with a stem of straw; expensive pipes of silver. In Great Britain and Ireland small clay pipes are often dug up. At first these were believed to be of Roman origin. However, when historians pointed out that smoking was not known in England until Raleigh learned how to use an Indian tobacco pipe, fairies and elves were credited with the manufacture of these clay pipes. A short “elfin” pipe was dug up at St Bartholomew’s Church, London; another was discovered 15ft down, neai Marble Arch, London; when the Duk of Devonshire’s house was' being pulled down. YARD OF CLAY. The “yard-of-clay” was invented ir the seventeenth century by the Dutch. These pipes were tipped with sealing wax, which served the same purpose as the cork tip of the modern cigarette They were ideal for lazy smokers, since one did not have to raise the hand from the taele or knee to take r puff, as the modern smoker must do. The “yard-of-clay” is still in use. known as the “churchwarden.” The aura of importance glowing about those who puffed at church wardens may have been responsible for that massive Continental affair of bone and horn being termed a “burgomaster’s pipe.” Sometimes, these impressive instruments reached a length of 6ft, made up of several detachabh section-’.

The Irish found in their peat bog. aged oak wood, which they fashioner decoratively' into the bog-oak pipe Some were adorned with a shamrock others bear harps and castles, Europe’s porcelain manufacturer: took up pipe-making. They producer pipes with faces, which remind one ot toby jugs; pipes with simple, shori items; others with stems that wen around in circles or were tied in count less knots. Some of these porcelain creation: were gaily coloured. One Staffordshire pipe shows a boy in blue, sitting on a green barrel, holding a brown bowl finis pink hand. The yellow mouthpiece >f the pipe sticks out of his back, spoil ing the effect somewhat. PIPES OF GLASS. Pipes of glass, others of amber, came on the scene. The cob Of Indian con or maize was found admirable as ; pipe bowl. Corncob pipes, with stems .mpie or elaborate, may sometimes be purchased for a few pence from tobacconists today. The list of materials from whici jipes were not made would doubtles; >o quite short. A photograph of a Japanese smokin outfit shows a small pipe, a wopdei >ipe container, and a round box fo) tobacco. This gear was hung from th' roll. It soon became a Japanese cus ,om to mix a little opium with one' obacco. Hence, the bowl is very tiny But it is believed the first Japanes< fipos were enormous —so enormou* hat a writer of old Japan stated’ There is a natural tendency to hit persons over the head with one’s p.pe in il of anger.”

More luxurious in pipes of the Eas is the tassel led Chinese water-pipe which looks quite complicated—and b The smoke is filtered and cooled by being drawn through water. The Persian hookah is another water pipe. The smoke passes through a wat erbotile. then through a flexible tube often yards long, before, cooled am purified, it reaches the mouth of tlm mokcr.

Water-pipes were unknown in un discovered America, n,ot popular in Europe, but in general use in the East

Strangely enough, they were used in Africa, land of the dakka pipe and icrnp smoker. It has been suggested .hat smoking was brought to America from Africa. Tobacco became popular so swiftly hreughout the world that it seems surprising its delights were not stumbled ipon before Columbus stumbled upon America. So far as we know, we owe tobacco moking to some sell-indulgent pries’. ,f the Mayas, who. in Ococingo. Pal:nque, or some other city of Centra) America, deserted and enjungled for .•enturics, found peace and pleasure in inhaling the smoke used in religious ites. The Greeks, Romans, and Egyp dans. who were incense-burning ■peoples like the Mayas, did not pipesmoke for they found no herb like tobacco.