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Hello, Please take a look on pictures attached and could you advise is it real bone or just seems like bone. The seller say "This piece is estimated to be from the late Qing Dynasty (particularly from the late 1800's to early 1900's). As shown in the pictures, this is a beautifully hand carved piece with great attention to detail."
Is it true or... cheap trash.
Regards

Whether ox bone or molded plastic matters little, because your opium pipe would seem to be a contemporary era decorative item in my opinion.

In actual use the bowl of an opium pipe (round piece that screws into the stem) must be held over the flame of a spirit lamp in order to vaporize an attached small dab of opium for inhaling. If your pipe bowl is made of oxbone or resin, either substance would burn along with the opium and create unpleasant smoke along with the narcotic vapor.

Bowls on real opium pipes typically are made of ceramic or another noncombustibler substance.

Best regards,

Bill H.

It is a nicely carved pipe, and does not appear to be a cheap fake.

Your photos are not much help though.

You need to show the entire pipe, fully assembled, and close-ups (in focus).

Cheers
Gman

One mark of authenticity on a pipe is whather there is evidence that it was actually used for that purpose. Scorch in the bowl, nicotine stains in the stem and on the mouthpiece, etc.

Again, though, the detailed pictures are too out-of-focus to be of much help.

Thank you for yours opinions.
More photo, please.It's pipe was used.
How old it maybe?
Regards

The pipe is a non-functioning modern replica of an opium pipe and whether it is made of carved bone is highly questionable.

Further to the comment by Charles, herewith are photos of a 21.5-inch Chinese or Sino-Thai pipe from Thailand that is made of bone tubes, with buffalo horn mouthpiece, end-piece and bowl. The tubes are shown clearly to have traces of blood capillaries, which identify them as bone.

In the absence of a ceramic, stone or other such inorganic bowl, the pipe would be useless for any use other than display, because the heat would combust the horn (or other organic material), producing noxious gases potentially more injurious to the smoker than the opium itself.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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