A large collection of antique 1850s-1860s American Civil War era hand crafted clay smoking pipes Found near battlefield camp trash sites. From the 17th century onwards, pipe makers used iron molds in order to produce their clay pipes but the local designs and sizes persisted until the end of the 19th century. The selection includes loose bowels as well as full pipe pieces in remarkable good condition. The manufacture of these items vary, having some of them in the characteristic style and size of Irish and British made pipes from the Georgian and early Victorian eras. The extensive use of such pipes date as far as the early 1600s when the tobacco consumption extended from the Americas to Europe. The use of clay in particular is due to the disposable and perishable concept of their usage. Pipes made out of clay like the ones on our lot were intended to be for single use and after it discarded on open fields and especially at river's shores. The pipe making industry flourished until the beginning of the 20th century when cigarettes became more popular than pipe smoking. As a result, the commercial production of clay pipes dwindled and ceased in the 1960’s. Presented in a shadow box. American Civil War Historical Collectibles And Memorabilia, Tobacciana Accessories.