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Chinese painted bone opium pipe with stand

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · partial

This collectible Chinese opium pipe is crafted primarily from bone, featuring a distinctive curved, tubular stem that is decorated with hand-painted motifs. The pipe includes a dark-colored mouthpiece and a matching dark bowl assembly, which is mounted on a textured, ornate metal base attached to the central part of the shaft.

The exterior surface of the bone shaft displays polychrome painted designs, including floral and scenic elements that reflect traditional Chinese artistic styles. The pipe is presented with a matching decorative carved wooden stand, which features traditional scrollwork patterns and provides a stable base for display. The overall length of the pipe is approximately 15.5 inches. The combination of the smooth, aged bone texture, the intricate metalwork around the bowl, and the delicate painted details makes this a representative example of historic smoking implements used for opium in a Chinese context.

It serves as both a functional object of its period and a decorative piece of ethnographic art, emphasizing the craftsmanship involved in the creation of such specialized smoking accessories.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
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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
15.5 inches
Material
bone, wood, metal

Design

Decoration
hand-painted floral and scenic motifs

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.