Case for a pipe, anonymous, c. 1700 - c. 1725
Long-stemmed Gouda pipes were very popular with the Dutch, including those living in the tropics. Since the clay pipes were fragile, protective cases for them were not an undue luxury. This ivory case from Ceylon is ornamented with flowering branches, a decoration that found great favour among Europeans. On the short end of the lid is a pipe-smoking Dutchman.