Description
I would like an appraisal please on the two pipes shown. I have no idea as to the age of the pipes, one is a small Ox horn smoking pipe with etched decoration from the Golden Triangle, the second is a highly decorative (possibly Ivory?) and colourful ornamental Opium pipe with silver decoration. Believed from the Indo China Hillside Tribal people. Received as a gift so no other information available. Any information and pricing gladly received thank you.
Re: Chinese Opium / Smoking Pipes
Some items really require a physical appraisal of the item out of the shadowbox frame and really are not suited to the online appraisal format.
Re: Chinese Opium / Smoking Pipes
It seems a lot of older pipes these days are being seen as opium pipes. The first is used for tobacco. It's an old water pipe. Search "Paktong water pipes" under google. Yours appears to be made of bone or wood (sort of hard to see the texture, if you can let me know what it looks like to you, or feels like, or send additional photos) which is definitely unique. These are usually made of Paktong, an alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel. They date around 1920-1930.
With the second pipe, I somewhat have my doubts about its authenticity. I've only ever seen these listed as "bone and metal opium pipes from the 19th century" and sold for $85- $100. Real opium pipes go for thousands and average $1,000 - $2,500 in my experience. This is because of the lack of opium pipes after the banning of the pipes and mass burnings of the pipes and items associated that took place at the end of the 19th century. The strange thing about these curved short pipes is that they do have the bowl like an opium pipe which makes me think either reproduction (which is kind of senseless as there is no real market for these items to the mass public), or a newer pipe of some sort. Furthermore, I've seen one exactly like it on a website claiming it is 19th c, however it is the exact same aside from colour and pattern on the pipe. The bowl is the same, just another colour. (http://byemylife.com/id30.html). I would be doubtful about it being authentic if there are more than one that are pretty similar, especially the bowl, but it's still hard to say. I've seen these around and it always confuses me. How old does it feel to you? Does it have any cracks? What's the texture of the pipe like? Even any other photos of it would help.
If you are willing to pay for an appraisal of the second pipe, I could suggest you someone to contact, however he would not look at the first one due to it not being for opium. I'm not sure paying to have this item appraised would necessarily be a good thing though, due to the low price of them as far I've seen, but, there is that option.
Feel free to post any other questions or whatnot.