Name of Object:

Pipe

Name in original language:

Pipa

Location:

Madrid, Spain

Holding Institution:

Cerralbo Museum

 About Cerralbo Museum, Madrid

Holding Institution (original language):

Museo Cerralbo

Date of Object:

1865–1900

Inventory Number:

MCVH1073

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Resin; moulded

Dimensions:

13 cm

Provenance:

France

Description:

Meerschaum, sepiolite or écume de mer, is a porous mineral founded chiefly in Anatolia. Highly valued in pipe manufacturing since the late 18th century, the most famous meerschaum pipes in 19th century were those from Vienna or Paris. Due to commercial competition, new techniques were introduced. This pipe is an example of a patented French production that reproduced meerschaum pipes and cut the production price. This pipe in the shape of a young man’s head is not functional and merely decorative, and was collected by Antonio del Valle y Serrano, marquis of Villa-Huerta, in Mâcon (France), were he also collected souvenirs related to the famous poet Lamartine.

Type of Object

Smoking Paraphernalia

Citation of this web page:

Cecilia Casas Desantes "Pipe" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;es;97;en

Prepared by: Cecilia Casas Desantes
Copyedited by: Anne Dowell

MWNF Working Number: SP 097