Chinese Qing Dynasty Opium Pipe and Heating Lamp Set
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Qing Dynasty
This set includes a traditional Chinese opium pipe and a matching heating lamp dating to the Qing Dynasty. The pipe features a long shaft constructed from spotted bamboo, complemented by a hard stone mouthpiece and an end cap.
It is detailed with metal fittings, incorporating a copper and bronze holder for the burner. The burner itself is of Yixing stoneware and follows an octagonal form, bearing an impressed seal mark on its side. Accompanying the pipe is a heating lamp designed with a baitong white bronze base, which is accented with enamel coloring. The lamp is completed by a thick, blown clear glass shade, designed for the controlled heating of opium.
The pipe measures 25 1/4 inches in length. This historical set reflects the specific material culture of late imperial China, emphasizing the integration of refined natural materials like spotted bamboo and stone with functional metalwork and pottery.
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
- Pipe length
- 25 1/4 inches
- Lamp materials
- baitong white bronze, enamel, clear glass
- Pipe materials
- spotted bamboo, hard stone, copper, bronze
- Burner material
- Yixing stoneware
Technical characteristics
- Markings
- impressed seal mark on burner side
- Burner type
- octagonal
Design
- Lamp base
- white bronze with enamel coloring
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.