These pipes are from among the abundance of tobacco pipes which have been found in the archeological excavations at Place Royale, the old market square in Quebec city. (see slide 18). They were customarily made of white clay, and some carried a manufacturer's mark on the bowl or stem and occasionally on the heel. Rarely has a complete pipe been recovered; because of their extreme fragility, they only lasted a year or two at the best of times.
Until the nineteenth century, when pipes were made in Canada, most were manufactured in Holland, England, Scotland, Germany, and France. The bowls of nineteenth century pipes were often decorated with the head of an allegorical figure or sometimes a political personality.
Courtesy: Archeologie et Ethnologie, Direction GÄnÄrale du Patrimoine, MinistÅre des Affaires Culturelles QuÄbec
