Chinese metal opium pipe with champlevé enamel shou characters
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
probably 19th/20th c.
This Chinese opium pipe is crafted from metal and decorated with blue champlevé enamel. Measuring 48 cm in length, the pipe features a long, straight, silver-coloured stem punctuated by two thickened sleeve sections.
One end terminates in a plain, rounded mouthpiece, while the opposite end is fitted with a small, angled, cup-shaped bowl. The entirety of the stem and its sleeves is adorned with engraved rows of geometric characters, identified as stylised shou symbols. In Chinese culture, the shou character represents longevity and is considered a significant blessing. The champlevé technique is employed here, where recesses are worked directly into the metal body rather than being created by soldered wire cells, then filled with glass flux and fired.
While the overall construction remains in good condition, there are visible losses to the enamel inlay.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Length
- 48 cm
- Material
- metal, enamel
Technical characteristics
- Decoration technique
- champlevé
Design
- Motifs
- stylised shou characters
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.