New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-23
A GREAT PIPE COLLECTION.
SPECIMENS OF NEARLY EVERY KIND
OWNED BY DIR. EDWARD PRENTIS.
OF NEW-LONDON.


as few without pipes or cigars. Tobacco In
come form, preferably the pipe has been the
consolation and companion of millions of men
since first the weed was brought to their ken.
In examining the pipes in the collection OF
DR. Edward Prentis, OF London, there In
ample confederation of this DR.. Prentis's leis-
moments are spent in pursuit OF his hobby
or in studying local history. He is a member
Of the Sons of the American Revolution and
has recently contributed a valuable monograph
on the local history of Eew-London. The doc
tors home in Huntinston-st, is surmounted by
a tower. and there he has his den The room
Is octagOnal and hardwood finished
The walls are decorated win more than four
hundred and fifty pipes. which DR.. Prentis has
collected in fifteen years devotion TO his fad
How it began the doctor cannot tell, for it Was
not until long after his friends began TO send
pipe after pipe to add to his own that he woke
up to the fact that he was a collector; then
the habit was rooted and he would not have
broken it if he could
II has been the source of much personal pleas
ure and healthy diversion from an arduous
and exacting profession, and it has served not
only TO give pleasure to him. but 10 his friends
1t has led him take interest in matters
| which otherwise he would not have cared for,
and it has given him insight into the ways.
the manners and the pipes of men of all c1mes,
conditions and coIors. and unintentonauy the
| doctor is becoming frst-class ethuologist and
archRoogist.
No two of his pipes are alike All have
meaning save the upper row, which is merely
| decorative finish.
| Many have been bought by DIT. Prentis him
/ self. but they few in comparison with the
/ number which his friends have sent to him
/ from all quarters OF the globe. He has pipes
from Alaska. some that are in no other coIIec-
ton from India, Japan, China, Egypt, syria,
| Austria Germany Switzerland. Sweden. NcI
! way. Spain Holland, Belgium, France, England,
/ Ireland Italy. Turkey. Jerusalem, Nubia, lap
/ land. Malta. Madeira san Domingo. Porto RICO,
the Philippines. Samoa, British Columbia, Can
ada. Brazil, Peru. Mexico Hayti, Corea Cape
Breton. the Queen Charlotte Islands, from the
heart Of Africa. and in the neizhborhood of VIC
! t,ria Nyanza CsembO. Kanirondo ami Csesa
| and from Hungary and Nova Scotia.
| There are the elaborate water pipes OF China
Malta and India; the rude stone bowl of the
columbus Indian; the chibouqUe of Turkey,
with its suggestion Of slave and master; the
carved and hieroSIyph adorned piece of bone or
ivory of Alaska; the aVe-insQ!riUg slate OF the
Haida Indians OF the queen Charlotte Islands,
the L. pandcr's soace; the comfort OF the Saw
age OF Central Africa; the soul sleeping. dainty.
destructive pipe of The Chinese, the luxurious.
sensuous one of the Indian in the narsieh
the hookah; the beautifully wrought one from
Picking; the companion of the liberty loving
Corean; the artistic friend of the Sicili@D moan
taineer; the dainty creations OF Japan; the Ha-
waiian idea of pipe, the bit Of the "oG-d'
Country in the bog oak of Ireland. the piece OF
lava from NeSuVius, made by man TO afford him
comfort; and hideCus idols and serpentlke
things and embodied hate and cruelty in The
Indians tOmahawk. and many others. There
are pipes without stems, and stems that seem
TO be no pipes. and the various forms that fancy
has taken for expression in FREAKS. canes. Big
pieces of wood, sections of sewer pipe, umtrel-
las, hats. teeth. faces. skulls-so many that only
a catalogue could do justice TO the variety
The freak pipes and oddities, though valued by
the doctor for the skill and ingenuity displayed
in their making. do not find the place IN MS eS-
TEEN that is held 10y those distinctiveiy express
ing race. character. time and condition.
One of these is a tomahawk pipe, found on
the battlefield of Wounded Knee December
%. 1890 1t is interesting specimen Of Indian
1t is in three sections. made from pc
culiar red stone that is found in Missouri that
Is called catlinite. IL is polished smoothly, and
the sections are joined The union OF the middle
joint is decorated with lead design and there
is beading somewhat like the Colonial finish
wrought In the ea<iS Of the stem The toms-