pipe tobacco

[Rob Weaver]

Re: Tavern Pipe

That's clearly a reed pipestem (or some other pithy wood that hollows easily). That's waaaaaaaaaay longer than any stem I ever carried for mine!
I think Irving as a literary reference is an inciteful use of popular culture. The "History"" (1809) was a bestseller in it's time, and a joke like that would have been easily accessible. If I remember correctly, "tavern"pipes are somewhat problematic, since we have no complete pipes to compare against the fragments we do have, the the evidence in woodcuts and paintings. Artwork regularly shows smokers with short and long pipes, but none in the process of shortening them.
I have come to the conclusion that clay pipes were always designed to be disposable. They're virtually impossible to clean and become more fragile the longer they're exposed to the fire of smoking them. When they become "foul" nasty tasting because of accumulated residue, you clean them by putting them in a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes. This burns the garbage out of them and freshens the taste (although it will make them more fragile). The lovely "Tobacco's But an Indian Weed"(from "Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy,"1699) is instructive:
Tobacco is but an Indian Weed,
Grows green in the morn, cut down at Eve;
It shows our decay,
We are but Clay,
Think of this and take tobacco.

The Pipe that is so lily-white,
Where so many take delight;
Is broke with a touch,
Man's life is such,
Think of this and take tobacco.

The pipe that is so foul within,
Shews how Man's Soul is stained with sin;
It doth require,
To be purged with fire,
Think of this and take tobacco.

The Ashes that are left behind
Does serve to put us all in mind;
That unto dust
Return we must,
Think of this and take tobacco.

The smoke that does so high ascend,
Shews you Man's life must have an end,
The Vapor's gone,
Man's life is done,
Think of this and take tobacco.

Here endeth the lesson.

[redleggeddevil]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I'm not sure if Nissenbaum's text or references can be considered an archaeological source.

Well, let's see. For those playing along at home, the discussion is covered on pages 80-81 of the paperback edition of Nissenbaum's work "The Battle For Christmas".

Historical ARCHAEOLOGIST Lauren J. Cook's study of ARCHAEOLOGICAL remains is the basis for Nissenbaum's conclusion, as presented in her report "Snow White Little Instruments of Comfort: Clay Pipes and Class Consciousness at the Boorts Mills Boarding Houses" (presented at the New England Historical Society).

I'm not an archaeologist, so I'm not about to tell Ms. Cook that she is or isn't.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I just read some of Cook's paper on SHA. Join it and read away. It looks like her historical presumptions were taken out of context by Nessibaum. There is absolutely no historical foundation for snapping pipe stems for sanitation or comfort. But please go with the concept if it pleases you. http://www.sha.org/membership/newmembers/newmembers.cfm

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John-Owen that certainly isn’t segmented like bamboo. Looks too sold for a bulrush. I have no way of telling if its willow or not.

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Andrew T, hit eBay for good original pipe bowl deals. Ill cut you a reed if you want me to.

[redleggeddevil]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I just read some of Cook's paper on SHA. Join it and read away. It looks like her historical presumptions were taken out of context by Nessibaum. There is absolutely no historical foundation for snapping pipe stems for sanitation or comfort. But please go with the concept if it pleases you.

Thank you for the link. I look forward to reading Ms. Cook's work.

Please note, however, that I was stating Mr. Nissenbaum's findings, not my own. I have spent most of my career working in 18th century museums, and I never believed nor stated that pipe stems were snapped for "sanitation or comfort" (nor did Nissenbaum state that, but as a "gesture of class identity", as he puts it).

If Ms. Cook was misinterpreted as you say, then I apologize for introducing her into the conversation.

[John-Owen Kline]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I understand Garrisons point. Cook’s premise and in turn Nissenbaum’s is that wealthier people did not have to share a pipe, hence the sanitation / class identity statements.

Ivor Hume, one of the deans of American Archaeology, has fought that little pipe stem myth for decades. He has devoted time in his writings and lectures to dispel the fable, but his efforts have been fruitless and he no longer belabors the point. Frankly I’m surprised Garrison even brought it up because it always boils down to what it is now. I do take some comfort that there are still purists among us. Keep it up G.

[markj]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I'm more partial to this beauty..... (see attachment).

Yours, &c.,

Mark Jaeger

[MosbyCSA1863]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I'm more partial to this beauty..... (see attachment).

Yours, &c.,

Mark Jaeger

Is that a Hookah? it sure looks like it .

[pipthelimey]

Re: Tavern Pipe

I apologize for repeating an incorrect fact about the long-stemmed clay tavern pipes. I should have done some checking up on it before I posted, but I have done no real research into pipes pre-1860. Mea Culpa.

As for the Glazing vs. Unglazed, I have about a dozen originals dug in Georgia, 4 from Alabama and 7 from Tennessee. Not much of a collection I admit, but out of 23, all 23 are glazed. On many of them, the glazing is still completely intact, on others there are only remnants. My knowledge of pipes is fairly limited compared to the archaeologists in the group so I will defer and only offer my observations based on what I have on hand. All 23 were dug in campsites on private property, with other identifiers nearby. 6 of them were dug in a Federal brigade's trash pile here in Cobb County, GA. All are glazed, all are curved, and all but one have some kind of decorative fluting. The one that does not is roughly a hexagonal shape, beginning where the stem enters, then curving up the length of the bowl. I will try and post some pictures.

All in all, I just don't think the clay-stemmed pipes were common enough to warrant representation in a soldier's kit. I think clay/reed, wood/reed, and wood/vulcanite are much better bets.

Kind Regards,
Andrew Jerram

[Rob Weaver]

Re: Tavern Pipe

That's a hookah! I think I can say with some confidence that such a contraption would be neither everyday nor common. There was a lot of American travel to the Middle East in the late 1860's, post-war, a time-period well and amusingly documented by Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad. Having finished their bit of bloodletting, the Americans were off to see the world. Twain and his companions brought back some interesting souveniers, in which they were photographed in the early 1870s. Rather than a hookah, I would suggest to you a copy of Sir Richard Burton's The Arabians Nights, his 1850 translation of the famous Arabic tales. I think the reason he could get this surprisingly dirty book published is that the prose is darn near incomprehensible!

[Rob Weaver]

Re: Tavern Pipe

Ran out of pipe tobacco a couple weekends ago while at an event. We were camped in a mixed forest with a good bit of dried leaves/ pine needles on the ground. Aside from needing to be cleaned (stems and twigs, where's your trusty White Album when you need it?), they smoked pretty well in a clay pipe, and reminded me of pow-wows I attended in the Dakotas.

[pipthelimey]

Re: Tavern Pipe

Ya know, I'm thinking there was a reason the Native Americans settled on tobacco. Just thinking.

:)

[Rob Weaver]

Re: Tavern Pipe

Ya know, I'm thinking there was a reason the Native Americans settled on tobacco. Just thinking.

:)

Stays lit better ,too. But any port in a storm.

[RudyN]

Re: pipe tobacco

I know this is a fairly old thread, but Iwas also looking for authetic tobacco to use in my pipe and tried some of S. Gawith's full Virgina Flake. I is quite a mild and good smoking tobacco, so give it a try and you should be satisfied with it.

[pipthelimey]

Re: pipe tobacco

samuelgawith.co.uk doesn't accept orders from US customers, (last time I checked) but I've ordered from http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/...bulk/index.cfm before. I reccomend the Kendall creme. The trick to smoking flake is getting a section of a sheet, (about two thumbnails worth, and rubbing it between the palms of your hands until it pills up. It is a very nice, no nonsense smoke.

[RudyN]

Re: pipe tobacco

I was very fortunate and able to find some Samuel Gawith tobacco here in San Jose, CA and the store has a fair amount in stock. In additon I just received my pipe from Randy Ubben and I now have an authentic 19th Century style pipe to use. His workmanship is outstanding.