A Group of 19th Century Pipes Discovered in a Basement Near Edensburg, Pennsylvania

When I arrived home last night from the antique shows in Brimfield, Massachusetts - I noticed that a small box had been delivered with my name written on it in marker from Pennsylvania. I knew exactly what it was, but due to the excitement caused by Brimfield this week, I had actually temporarily forgotten about it. However, my memory quickly resurfaced when I saw the box.

Roughly two weeks ago - I was quickly scanning through a number of antique listings posted online through social media - and, I came across a freshly picked group of related objects discovered by Pennsylvania antique dealer, Huston Godwin. He was selling ten pottery pipes individually that he had freshly picked from an early house in the Edensburg, Pennsylvania-area. I purchased all them for five-dollars each. They seemed special to me - and, the price couldn't get any better.

The pipes all seem to have been produced from the same - or, a related mold - they all are in a similar form - measuring one-and-one-half inches long by one-and-one-half inches tall.

Huston told me that he found all of the pipes together in the home's basement. None of the pipes appear to have ever been smoked, either - they all appear to be in 'like-new' condition. A few people actually commented on these pipes with the belief that they were made at the nearby Swank family Pottery in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in the mid-to-late-nineteenth-century. There were even some, who felt strongly that these pipes were made at the Swank Pottery, which was a family operated business that was established in 1857. The business focused mainly on blue decorated stoneware, sewer tile and stove pipe; however, there were likely other products produced that may have included objects like these pipes.

The distance between where the Swank Pottery operated in Johnstown - and, where the pipes were found in the Edensburg-area is roughly separated by only twenty-miles.

However, I also suppose that an argument could also be made for another potter's business in the Mid-Atlantic region since the production of pipes was popular with a number of businesses in this part of the country.  I firmly believe the Swank Pottery adds an exciting angle to this story, but I am not one-hundred percent sure of that claim. Honestly, I just don't know enough about the business.

Normally, I am not much of a collector for pipes, but I made an obvious exception in this case considering these pipes were discovered in an early context that may date back to when the pipes were purchased 'brand new.' It's not that often today that objects can still be discovered in contexts like this.

Mid-to-Late 19th Century Pipes Probably Made in Pennsylvnia

Very-Possibly Made at the Swank Pottery in Johnstown, PA

Ca. 1857-1880

Each Measures 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" 

Discovered in an Early Home in the Edensburg, PA Area

Another View of the Pipes

For more about the Swank Pottery - I suggest reading this report that was written by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association in July of 2005. The article, also, shows some wonderful black and white photographs of the Swank Pottery - and, its workers.

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...