WELCOME

From the early 17th century to the early 20th century, clay pipes were smoked in the Netherlands. Because they were such fragile items, we can consider clay pipes as disposable products from past centuries. With a bit of luck, you can still find them in all kinds of places: on ploughed fields, in dredged-up silt from ditches, on land prepared for new construction, in old cesspits, or in soil used for sound barriers. In short, wherever digging takes place, it's worth keeping your eyes open.

Clay pipes were produced in several cities, with Gouda being the most important. However, large quantities were also made in towns like Gorinchem, Schoonhoven, and Utrecht.

Collecting clay pipes is a fun and rewarding hobby, especially because it allows for historical research. Makers' marks can help you identify who made a pipe, and if there's a design on the pipe bowl, you can try to uncover its meaning. Dating the pipe bowl correctly—determining when and where it was made—is an art in itself.

I created this site so that everyone can appreciate the beauty of this disposable item from centuries past.

This website was established on April 27, 2004