Pipe, glass, Venice, 18th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
18th century
Clear glass, with a long stem and applied ornament. A letter dated 1673 from John Tillson to Dr William Sancroft (later the Archbishop of Canterbury) encloses a gift of glass tobacco pipes, and describes how to clean them: 'I have been bold to present you with two glass tobacco pipes which with gentle usage will serve a long time making them clean with a little warm water when it is needful.
The oil which you will see fall into the hollow cavity below the neck of [the] pipe must be carefully kept back from running into the head of the pipe so long as the fire is in the same otherwise it will crack to pieces.' MS Rawl. letters 100, fol. 480. Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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
- Material
- glass
- Dimensions
- Length: 40.6 cm
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- Venice
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London collection record for this single object (sentences kept verbatim apart from removed sale or rarity wording); how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Candidate id
- vam-O350701
- Museum object name
- Pipe
- Holding institution
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Museum object number
- 503-1873
- Museum system number
- O350701
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and dating against a specialist reference; this entry documents one recorded example.