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Smoking during the event

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Post  Swallowtail Ted Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:21 pm

Don't know how this will go down, but here goes
This is only observation and is not aimed at anyone in particular just thought I would canvas opinion:
one thing that struck me about the first BB&B event was the number of participants smoking. I have nothing against smoking. It's not the smoking then that I have a problem with, it's just the look and how it affects the atmosphere of the game/event. I come from a Tudor and medieval re-enactment background and my periods are where tobacco hadn't made it to England so am not used to seeing smoking during an event, especially cigarettes. It just doesn't happen in public at the events I do. Apart from at the end of the 16th century when every smoker i know breaks out a clay pipe and puffs away. Could smokers be encouraged to find clay pipes for the weekend and smoke 'properly' in public rather than just lighting up a fag after they have slapped someone with their phys-rep (I am getting the hang of these terms or what?) It might make the event more of an spectacle and provide something else for punters to chat about.
What do you think?
Cheers
Swallowtail
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Smoking during the event Empty Great idea.

Post  Troy Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:22 am

Provided that there is someone selling them at a good price, what proper Larper could resist making their actions more IC?

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Post  Benjamin Parts Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:34 am

I actually planned to bring some at BB&B1, but it slipped my mind at the last instance. I live a bike-ride`s distance from Gouda, famous for it`s cheese and clay pipes, and they`re sold at the tobacconists` overthere. Mind, they`re not that hard to find and get over the internet, for about EUR 10,- sans postage. If my bike doesn`t fail me I`ll hop over to Gouda somewhere this month (have to get myself a new batch of undyed fabric from the market anyway) and see what the prices in the shops are. I know they have large and small ones. Never cared much for the small ones, but the large ones are the tavern (curved) and bridegroom`s (straight with drooping head) pipes, which smokers at the nationals` (one hesitates to use the term competitive in this regard) keep burning for over two hours. From other sources I know that small clay pipes are divided into earlier (17th C) models which had a very small head due to tobacco being prohibitively expensive at the time, and later (18th C) models with a somewhat larger head from the time when the tobacco trade flourished. For people who are accustomed to rolling their own cigarettes, those small pipes would be the perfect substitute for a quick fag. Those who like to take their time stuffing and smoking a pipe are better off with the larger, long stemmed ones.The longer stem allows the smoke to cool a little and the porous clay naturally absorbs and evaporates condens (quite different from modern models) which makes the practice that more enjoyable.

In short, I agree with the OP. Wink

Now about those tobacco taxes...

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Post  Judge Hangemhigh Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:56 am

An alternative to "drinking the fume" from a pipe, is to take snuff. Available in a wide variey of blends, in period, stylish, and much safer if you're also a black powder user. Of course, if you fancy flaunting a snuffbox but dislike powdered tobacco, you can always do what Dr Livesey did in "Treasure Island" and keep a small piece of parmesan cheese in it. Very Happy
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Post  Honest John Stag Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:03 pm

I'd love a clay pipe! Please bring some to the event to trade, I'd happily buy one!!!
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Post  Benjamin Parts Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:07 am

These are the pipes easily available to me:
Smoking during the event 2101607360039028446PFctgz_th
Smoking during the event 2842423550039028446IdatVS_th
Smoking during the event 2457196360039028446GCWUrX_th
Smoking during the event 2136685000039028446ZizouI_th

The short pipes are a little over 10cm, de laquer tip is about 40cm and the straight 'measure pipe' is half a meter. (The one in the third picture, being my own and displaying my nasty habit of lighting it on just about any flame available, being 544mm.)
The tall ones are well finished and guaranteed for a good smoke, and come each in their own wrapping and box. The short ones are of somewhat lesser finish (notice the small imperfections in the first two shots), unwrapped, and as said, I never tried them with toeback, but they`re functional and if nothing else, you can still use them to blow bubbles. Wink
They`re not very expensive, and I think I can bring them along next year for about 5 GBP per decimeter (5/20/25). Thinking of bringing one or two boxes of the short pipes and the tall ones only on request, with maybe one or two spares in case of breakage. If I can`t get a ride, they`ll need to go in the hand luggage, which will mean I`ll only be able to bring a very limited number.

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Post  Benjamin Parts Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:54 am

And a little history I learned on the way:
Clay pipes were first produced in England in the late 16th century. The technique was brought to Holland* in about 1610. According to some tales local potters learned it from retiring British mercenaries, according to other sources English pipe makers settled in the major towns of Western Holland after fleeing the reign of Jacob I, not because he was a catholic, but because he was an intolerant non-smoker. The clay used was originally imported from England, but the Dutch potters soon switched to clay from German sites. Although most potters anywhere only made pipes for local markets, pipes made in Western Holland reached such excellence, that they were sold all over Europe. Gouda alone counted hundreds of small manufacturers. In late 18th century only France became a worthy competitor, with highly creative figurative designs. German clay pipe makers had to compete locally with pipe makers using other materials, like wood, merschaum and, after it`s discovery in 1705, porcelain, and could only produce 'competitively priced' pipes.
Pipes that were deemed below par were destroyed, or sold to shooting galleries as targets or to children to blow bubbles.
From early 18th century pipes from other materials gained popularity and clay pipe production steadily declined. In the Netherlands, only Gouda produced clay pipes until the 60s of the 20th century. (I assume this refers to mass production, as clay pipes are still available. A few years back I read in the paper that the last commercial clay pipe pottery in Gouda was finally ceasing business, but that the kiln was taken over by volunteers. - High quality pipes from a batch from 1923 are still available if you can find them, in either white or black.)


*the province

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