ADLER

Hungary, XIX century

Hungary’s contribution to the history of pipes is not limited to the famous “Hungarian” maximally bent shape (Oom Paul). Meerschaum pipes, much like coffee, were introduced to Central and Eastern Europe during the Austro-Turkish wars of the 16th-18th centuries. Turkish caravans, captured during the wars, carried the pipes made of beautifully granular white mineral, a material that became highly sought after for making smoking devices. Before this, clay pipes were the primary smoking vessels in the regions that now make up Hungary, Austria, Poland, and Ukraine.

It is no surprise that European craftsmen embraced the idea of making pipes from meerschaum, a tradition that evolved over time, combining both skill and artistry. In some towns, the number of pipe craftsmen reached into the dozens!

In Pest, Hungary, the Adler family brand became particularly famous, offering expertly crafted pipes, along with gold and silver products, from the late 18th century until 1936. Today, we are proud to present one of their creations.

The marking ‘ADLER’ on the pipe is clear and straightforward. As for the mark on the rim of the bowl, the first letters appear to be ‘S’ and ‘N,’ though their meaning remains uncertain. The letters ‘H’ and ‘r’ in the second row may refer to Henrik Adler, suggesting that this pipe was made in the last third of the 19th century.

Pipe markings “ADLER”, “P-N-H-r”
Length 23.2 cm (9.13″)
Bowl Height 6.5 cm (2.56″)
Outside Diameter 2.8 cm (1.1″)
Chamber Diameter 2.0 cm (0.79″)
Chamber Depth 4.5 cm (1.77″)
Weight 73 gr.

Meerschaum, brass, beech wood, deer horn, vulcanite stem, no filter. The stem is newly made of the fresh piece of vulcanite so we can consider the pipe as a “partially unsmoked” :-).

The pipe is not for sale. It was restored to order and has already started a new life in a new cozy home.