Newsletter from London

[IRISH]

There where several English internal thread patents from the 1870's on, there are probably thousands of different bottles that used those stoppers from Australia, the UK, New Zealand and where ever else they where used.

No value in the stoppers unless its a rare one someone wants to complete a bottle, even then you won't get much for it. You have a good chance of getting a complete bottle or ten to take those stoppers.
Nice haul of pipes BTW, some of those look fairly early.

 

[Mihai]

Thank you for reply. Any ideas about the lid? I put another photo of it, maybe rings a bell.

 

[Mihai]

About the pipes I know, like a thumb rule, the smaller the pipe, the older it is, as the tabaco was quite expensive in early days and was dificult to fill a big one without braking the piggy bank.

 

[southern Maine diver]

Hey Mihai...

You're right about the pipe rule... The smaller the "Bowl" the earlier the pipe. And it was, as you said, because of how expensive tobaco was in earlier times. As the tobaco smoking and snorting (snuff) caught on, larger crops were grown especially after America was discovered and new colonies were established in the south. Then, tobaco was more available, more affordable, more widely used by lower classes of the population and larger bowls and pipes evolved to supply the demand because of the increase in popularity (and addiction).

Also, the earlier pipe stems had smaller inside diameters... they were more narrow and the angle of the bowl was different. The newer pipes had an angle of close to 90 degrees and the earlier pipes had less of an angle.

I'll have to look up some of the publications, but and underwater archeologist, Bob Marx, wrote a lot about pipes, stems and how they helped him establish and correlate the dating of shipwrecks.[] You can find some info about this topic on the internet by looking up colonial artifacts or clay pipes.

Wayne

 

[southern Maine diver]

Hey Mihai...

I forgot to add... if you found a lot of those pipes in one place, I would definitely dig deeper and spread your search out a little wider for more "stuff". Are you wading into the water with hip boots or are you still walking along the shore?

Wayne[8|]

 

[Mihai]

Hi, Wayne

Thank you for the info. I checked for that guy you told me about, Bob Marx, and I have to say WOW! He certenly lived his life. Not the most modest guy around but who can blame him? With so many ships and treasures and antiques found I'm ashamed I didn't know about him until now. It's like discovering Jaques Ives Cousteau at 32...

I have a picture that make dating the clay pipes an easy task. It's the one attached.

Last time I've been in Thames, that was Sunday, I put on my wellingtons and this gave me freedom to go a bit into the water. I dug a little around the area with the pipes but not with spectacular results. I was there with my wife and my dog, the whether was OK but still my parteners gave signals of being cold and bored so I wasn't able to stay too long in one place. But this Sunday I booked myself a treat, to go there with my brothers-in-law. This way my dear wife will have somebody else to ask "Are we done yet?"[] and hopefully I have more time for searching.

 

[Mihai]

Sorry, I forgot the picture.

 

[capsoda]

We don't find many pipes around my area, afew stems and really used up bowls. By the time tobacco got cheap enough to be plentiful southerners had become quit adept at making pipes that lasted or could be easily be replaced.[]

Five cent was a lot of money to spend on a pipe.[sm=rolleyes.gif]

 

[cowseatmaize]

Hi, I was the one with the "wanted" post. I'd have to agree with some of the others though. I was hoping someone might have a bunch. If you only have the 2, keep 'em. If there glass, keep 'em too. If you run ito a mother load though, keep me in mind for some, I just think there more appropriate to keep the dust out than the corks I use.
Thanks

 

[Mihai]

Hi, Eric
I'll tell you if I'll find some more. I understand you don't mind the embossings doesn't match. I found your request for stoppers before but for only two it's not worth the post charges.
Take care!