Water Pipe for Tobacco

The Chinese water pipe is often mistaken for an opium pipe. The confusion arises from the fact that both tobacco pipes and opium pipes were frequently used in the same  settings. For example, an “opium den” would often have both opium and tobacco pipes. 

This water pipe is made of pewter and features an intricate cast design. Chinese water pipes often consist of a small bowl that holds the dried tobacco, a water chamber, a pipe, and a mouth piece. As the tobacco burned, the smoker would inhale using the water pipe, causing the water to percolate and the smoke to rise through the pipe and enter into the mouth and lungs. This particular water pipe also has a brush holder that would have been used to store the cleaning utensil when the water pipe was not in use.