Antique , and very rare, Carved Bone tobacco Pipe-Sagemono Pipe Case, including silver and bronze pipe and wood tobacco holder
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$ 5,500.00
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Antique , and very rare, Carved Bone tobacco Pipe-Sagemono Pipe Case, including silver and bronze pipe and wood tobacco holder
Japan Edo period 1860s
Size: pipe Holder 16.5 L cm x 2.2 cm Diameter
Size: pipe 20 cm L x 1 .5 cm Diameter
Size: tobacco holder 3 cm H x 8 cm Diameter
It is believed that pipe smoking was introduced to Japanese high society, such as the Samurai, the Buddhist priest classes and rich merchants.
Tobacco has been known in Japan since the 1570s at the earliest. By the early 17th century, kiseru had become popular enough to even be mentioned in some Buddhist textbooks for children.
During the Edo period, many samurai and chōnin smoked tobacco, and often carried a kiseru in a special case called a kiseruzutsu. Kiseru were considered status symbols for their owners, due to being made from precious metals and having intricate designs adorned on them. There was also a high cost on importing tobacco, which was considered an extravagance of the rich.