Green Crackled Porcelain Table Water Pipe with Metal Strapping from Vietnam

The Chinese water pipes for smoking opium or tobacco could be beautifully decorated with enamel or be coated with precious materials such as ray skin. How were they used? The heated opium was placed in the lidded well of the pipe. The smoker could inhale the fumes through this pipe. Most water pipes have a holder for storing the maintenance tools, such as a little brush, a spike and tweezers. The water pipes could easily be smoked while sitting down, unlike the regular opium pipes...

Nineteenth century Chinese water pipe in Paktong (= an Alloy of Zinc, Copper and Nickel). The Base - elaborated in Enamel Cloisonné - is decorated with a Phoenix on an Ultramarine Bl...

Antique Chinese Water Pipe in Yellow Copper, decorated with Tortoiseshell Scales. The Rectangular Base gives this Object its Elegance. French Private...

Old Bamboo Opium Pipe, with visible Knot of the Bamboo. The Mouthpiece and Furnace are in Bronze. The Piece comes from South China. French Private Collec...

A luminous green glaze cloaks the exterior of this small Chinese storage jar from the late 19th century, catching the eye with soft translucency and an allover crackle. The small kit...

A wonderful green glaze adorns this early 20th century Chinese ceramic pork lard storage jar. The characters on its front side translate to "Pork Lard". This jar features a wonderful...

A lustrous glaze sheets across the paneled sides of this small Chinese storage jar, pooling into the low relief designs with deep, blue-green color. Sculpted in the early 19th centur...

A wonderful green glaze typical of Chinese "Shiwan" pottery adorns this early 20th Century Chinese storage jar. The jar likely occupied a private home to store grains or other househ...