What's the Oldest Pipe You Could Possibly Smoke

[mso489]

I read an article, maybe a link on Forums, about people in England who prospect for old clay pipes, disposable discards, from the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, maybe some older. These are exposed at low tide on the riverbanks of the Thames. These were originally smoked in coffee shops and pubs and discarded. I assume some of these are smoked by treasure hunters, if enough is left to provide a smoke. A four hundred year old pipes sounds like a real time machine. Are there any older pipes to be found that could be smoked?

 

[STP]

I have a couple of my grandfather’s pipes, which I think are pretty old... but yeah, a 400+ year old pipe would certainly be cool.

 

[Crackedpipe]

Being a Londoner born and raised, I've ventured to the Thames banks a few times myself and have seen the fragments of clay pipes scattered around, although I've never seen anything smokable first hand, having said that... I wouldn't want to put anything pulled out of the Thames anywhere near my face, but it is fascinating to think of the history; thousands of disposable pipes lobbed in like the cigarette butts of today

 

[stokesdale]

The closer the age gets to the bubonic plague, the less attractive it is for me...call me crazy...

 

[sablebrush52]

The oldest pipe I've smoked is a youthful 138 years old. Many of the pipes I smoke are + or - 100 years old.

 

[sablebrush52]

The closer the age gets to the bubonic plague, the less attractive it is for me...call me crazy...

Then you probably don't want to smoke any contemporary pipes since the bubonic plague is still around.

 

[stokesdale]

Then you probably don't want to smoke any contemporary pipes since the bubonic plague is still around.

Good point, I'll stop smoking today...

 

[kcghost]

Well, you could dig up a pipe from around 2000 years ago. They found one in Ohio that was that old two - three years ago.

 

[mso489]

My last visit to the Thames was at its annual high-water mark, so it didn't look too polluted, but of course it is, like all metropolitan waterways. Maybe there are examples of indigenous pipes from North America that might be cleansed by time, that go way back in history. The oldest pipe I smoke is probably my first, only about 40 years old.

 

[ashdigger]

My oldest pipe is an 1888 Meerschaum. I did have one that was from 1873 but I sold it.

 

[anotherbob]

I got a pipe that's 20 years old and it feels like an old man pipe to me. I've smoked a pipe that was built into an old tree but that isn't really the same thing. Hint it's in Single Town Gap in one of the few Virgin forest area around here. Side note once on a date I got attacked by a little tree frog. O.k. it jumped on my the back of my neck and crawled around there until I flung it off thinking it was a big spider cause that's what it felt like I hope he or she was fine.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Tom- I've seen a documentary on a person or group that regularly combs the Thames and other rivers for clays. Sorry can't remember who has it, or title, though it was probably PBS.

And yes, indigenous peoples of the Americas smoked way back, but relics are few and far between.

 

[The Clay King]

I had a 19th century clay pipe but either broke it or sold it, along with some from the 1920s-30s.
I don't know if my English Civil War pipe was real or a replica, but I did smoke it...

 

[username]

My oldest is a turn of the century meer.

 

[canucklehead]

Tom- I've seen a documentary on a person or group that regularly combs the Thames and other rivers for clays. Sorry can't remember who has it, or title, though it was probably PBS.

And yes, indigenous peoples of the Americas smoked way back, but relics are few and far between.

Was it possibly Lara Maiklem?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Don't think so! Certainly not in that format.

 

[weezell]

Many of the pipes I smoke are + or - 100 years old.

Yep!...

 

[username]

With a amber stem to. Figured a pic would be appreciated.

 

[canucklehead]

Don't think so! Certainly not in that format.

I asked just because she's been in a bunch of shows and written books about mudlarking in London. Her Instagram has lots of old clay pipe pics.

http://instagr.am/p/CE3YR9RnMCs/

 

[captainsousie]

Only did the virgin smoke on a 120 year old pipe. More on briar would be rough but more on clay would be OK