TOBACCO PIPE

Complete example of a clay tobacco pipe of the bent billiard style, probably dating to the 19th century. Overall length of 80 mm, with the stem being 50 mm in length. The "short stem" is circular in profile at the heel, changing to a hexaganol profile 20 mm from the mouth piece, which bears beading around the aperture. The left hand side of the stem, from the users perspective, bears a cartouche comprising an embossed diamond lozenge in turn enclosing an incised inscription of SQUATTERS OWN. The opposite side of the stem bears an identical lozenge enclosing the incised word SYDNEY. The bowl is approximately 35 mm in height, from base to mouth, with the mouth having an exterior width of 25 mm on the long axis. the shape of the bowl is slightly rounded on the outside, with no evidence of flatenning of the heel. The clay fabric is of an off white or ivory colour with a smooth satin like finish.

The inscription "Squatters Own" refers to a series of pipes manufactured solely for the Australian market in England, sometimes also referred to as "Squatters Own Budgaree" or "Squatters Bungaree" (Budgaree/Bungaree is derived from Aboriginal languages, meaning good). Though uncertain, these pipes were probably manufactured in Rainford at the Hill Top Pipe Works, run by David Swallow, though other manufacturers in Scotland and elsewhere in England may have subsequently copied this style (Gojack and Stuart 1999). Examples of these pipes have not been found outside Australia and New Zealand other than at the Rainford works and one unusual example of two fragments recovered in New Jersey (Springate 2010). Examples of these pipes often exhibit narrow bowls with intricate designs, known as effigy pipes, this example has a fuller and larger bowl without an effigy however.