Right, I was asked to update with the pipes in the racks on one of the forums I frequent, so thought I would post the pics here to show where some of the stuff I make, ends up at.
Hope you guys approve of my wife's little habit/hobby
The collection started small and actually this was the first rack, bought for £3 at a bootfair two ears ago..... "No, it is too big, I only want a few pipes" weird how I knew it was not the end.
Looking from one side, some traditional African pipes with beadwork, there is one on the one shelf that is over 100 years old.
Tobacco was the first cash crop grown in North America.
Due to the extreme cost of tobacco, early pipe bowls were very small compared to today's average pipe bowl size.
Pipe smoking continues to be a habit/hobby of many today, but cigarettes tend to be more convenient.
Washington Duke started rolling cigarettes in 1865 and sold them to soldiers returning from the Civil war.
James Bonsack invented the cigarette making machine in 1881 and it could make 120000 cigarettes in a day.
He then went into business with Washington Duke's son, and they made 10 million cigarettes in their first year.
Looking from the other side
Some German pipes with decorated porcelain bowls
Front view. Some interesting Meerschaum pipes, including a £48 skull pipe on the bottom left shelf.
Upstairs on the landing, bookshelves have made place for the collection of pipes and also pipe smoking paraphernalia including tobacco jars, some Victorian and one even made of some of the timber off the original Waterloo bridge.
The new pipe racks, almost full as well.
All together now......
I trust you enjoyed that quick trip into my wife's mind.