Tobacco pipe

Tobacco pipe
Europe; 1700−1760
Earthenware (pipe clay)
Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont 1958.1007

Smoking became a popular pastime for European men and women as early as the 1600s. An expensive luxury good like tobacco fueled not only an addictive consumption habit but also lucrative international trade, and exploitative labor practices.

England and the Netherlands produced white clay pipes like this one for use at home as well as export. Their numbers eventually surpassed those of locally produced clay pipes in the colonies.