PIPE (SMOKING)

A near-complete post medieval clay tobacco pipe, probably dating to the period c. AD 1650-90 The foot, the bowl and majority of the stem survives. There is a small amount of chipping along a small portion of the bowl's rim.

The stem measures c.45.4mm long (from the end of the stem where it has broken, to where the slope leading to the bowl begins). At the break of the stem, it has a diameter of 9.1mm. It gradually widens to 10.6mm where the stem meets the bowl. The hole has a diameter of 3.0mm.

The bowl is in a complete condition, with only a small amount of chipping around the right side of the rim (orientated with the stem facing downwards). The bowl has an internal diameter of 13.4mm.

The foot projects downwards from the base of the bowl at 4.5m. It is oval shaped at the base. It survives well, except it has been slightly rounded/eroded on the right half of it, causing a lack of stability when the pipe is stood up. The base of the foot is 5.5mm in diameter.

Facing upwards on the stem, approx. a third of the way between the base of the bowl and the break of the stem, is the inscription IEF / FRY[] / V[NT]' representing Jeffery Hunt.

The pipe fragment is a pale cream colour, with a (very) dark grey patina in some areas such as the back/underneath and inside of the bowl, this is likely due to combustion.The pipe fragment is 77.1mm long, c.18.7mm wide, 28.6mm tall and weighs 12.45 grams.

The inscription is identical to an example illustrated by Oswold (1975, p.65, no.9) found Oxfrod and which is dated in this source to AD 1650-90. It is unusual to see a maker from such a distance represented amongst clay pipes which are usually local and may reflect that both Wells and Oxford attracted people form some distance.