CHINA 1850 QING DYNASTY ANTIQUE CARVED OPIUM PIPE WITH A DRADON
AN OPIUM PIPE FROM THE CHINESE QING DYNASTY (1644-1911).
VERY INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL ANTIQUE PIECE, CREATED IN CHINA IN THE 19th CENTURY, CIRCA 1850 DURING THE PERIOD OF THE QING DYNASTY. THIS OPIUM SMOKING PIPE HAS A SEMI CURVED SHAPED BODY WITH THE HEAD OF A BIG DRAGON ROARING ON THE FRONT.
THIS GORGEOUS CHINESE OPIUM PIPE WAS FINELLY HAND CARVED FROM A SINGLE PIECE AND ACCENTED WITH BLACK WOOD AND PATINATED METAL PARTS. THE ENTIRE BODY IS CAREFULLY CARVED WITH FANTASTIC AND MYTHOLOGICAL ANIMALS FROM ANCIENT CHINESE CULTURE
HAVE AN OVERALL MEASURES OF 12.3 BY 2.5 Inches (31.24 x 6.35 Cm).
THE HISTORY OF OPIUM IN CHINA BEGAN WITH THE USE OF OPIUM FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES DURING THE 7th CENTURY. IN THE 17th CENTURY THE PRACTICE OF MIXING OPIUM WITH TOBACCO FOR SMOKING SPREAD FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA, CREATING A FAR GREATER DEMAND. IMPORTS OF OPIUM INTO CHINA STOOD AT 200 CHESTS ANNUALLY IN 1729, WHEN THE FIRST ANTI-OPIUM EDICT WAS PROMULGATED. BY THE TIME CHINESE AUTHORITIES REISSUED THE PROHIBITION IN STARKER TERMS IN 1799, THE FIGURE HAD LEAPED; 4,500 CHESTS WERE IMPORTED IN THE YEAR 1800. THE DECADE OF THE 1830S WITNESSED A RAPID RISE IN OPIUM TRADE, AND BY 1838, JUST BEFORE THE FURST OPIUM WAE, IT HAD CLIMBED TO 40,000 CHESTS. THE RISE CONTINUED ON AFTER THE TREATY OF NANKING (1842) THAT CONCLUDED THE WAR. BY 1858 ANNUAL IMPORTS HAD RISEN TO 70,000 CHESTS (4,480 LONG TONS).
THIS COLLECTOR'S PIECE IS IN GREAT ANTIQUE CONDITION WITH TRACES OF WEAR AND USAGE.
INVENTORY REF: D0000AEMB/.1111
