Ebony and Bone Opium Pipe on Stand

Chinese culture has had a longstanding love affair with all things opium since the 8th century, when people began to use it as the cure for many an illness. It soon evolved into not only a pastime, but an entire culture unto itself. This pipe was carefully crafted from not one, but four desirable materials: bone, ebony, tortoiseshell and clay. Though opium use was long a privilege of the rich, this abundance of precious materials to make one pipe was a rarity. The custom-made stand that the pipe rests on is fittingly simple in design, allowing the impressive pipe to shine.