Why are these opium pipes shaped like clenched fists?

[akkarin]

Hi all, I hope this is the right place to ask this question. I'm really into the material culture of opium in China during the 19th/20th centuries, and came across a bunch of opium pipes that are unusual. They are shaped like clenched fists, with the bowl positioned at the end of the pipe rather than around 3/4 along it. Would anyone be able to tell me more about this design - any origins, or significance? I've been trying to find more examples of this style of pipe without success, either in art or archaeology. Here are some examples:
http://www.pipemuseum.nl/index.php?hm=4&dbm=1&keyword=opium&keyword_bool=OR&q=1&wmod=dia&sortby=datering_kruis&startnum=336&id=17914#4
http://www.pipemuseum.nl/index.php?hm=4&dbm=1&keyword=opium&keyword_bool=OR&q=1&wmod=dia&sortby=datering_kruis&startnum=336&id=17547#3
Any help or links to further reading would be hugely appreciated!

 

[warren]

Wrong forum! This is a tobacco pipe forum. Have you read the rules?

 

[aldecaker]

Yep. Wrong forum. BTW, Drug paraphernalia + Retired Cop = :rofl:

 

[foolwiththefez]

To be fair, while technically drug paraphernalia, these are museum pieces and the question is more about history

 

[perdurabo]

Yea wrong forum, but they resemble poppy flowers. I need one to smoke mY Rumper stash in. :clap:

 

[warren]

The rule is fairly narrow with regard to "tobacco pipe" smoking. Says nothing about museum pieces or opiate history being excluded.

 

[seacaptain]

They have an elegant bowel.

 

[perdurabo]

No more post from Akkarin, must've realized we talk tobacco pipe here. Good luck on your endeavors, Warren cleared the air on this one. IMHO
Those pipe bowls are poppy flower decorations though. I'd love to have a pipe made with that type of decoration on the bowl. Maybe a meerschaum.

 

[okiescout]

"The rule is fairly narrow with regard to "tobacco pipe" smoking. Says nothing about museum pieces or opiate history being excluded."
Ditto, Warren!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...yeh, but it's the lack of capitalization that boils my blood. :wink:

 

[tarheel1]

Off-topic, E-cig, Hookah Posts
7. Discussion of electronic cigarettes, or any other electronic nicotine delivery device is forbidden. These items have NOTHING to do whatsoever with the true pipe smoking experience. If you want to talk about these items, you are in the wrong place. That goes for Hookah too. Hookahs are the wine coolers of the tobacco world, and they also have nothing to do with the true tobacco pipe smoking experience. Again, if you want to discuss them, please find another website to do so.
Pretty sure common sense means this thread falls under this category.

 

[andrew]

It looks like a poppy rather than a clenched fist, and opium comes from poppies.