18th Century Dutch Fruitwood Engraved Brass Clay Pipe Case in good condition, dating back to the late 1700, of French provenance but of Dutch origin.  This antique treen brass mounted clay pipe case has fine engraved brass mouthpiece and stem bands;  bowl case features wriggle-worked trim and firm hinge system having long tangs.

This exceptional work of art shows a brass inscription Auguste Montaigu  and A Sailly referring to the owner Auguste Gabriel de Montaigu (1780-1846).  This is a hand-made case made to hold a clay or meerschaum pipe.  These pipes were quite fragile, and these kind of artisan-made cases protected them from damage. Amongst the smoking aristocracy pipe cases were status symbols and a few like this example were significant works of art in their own right.

The two European countries most noted for producing the clay pipe case were England and Holland, each country having its own unique designs and degree of diversity in materials.  The Dutch borrowed the art of pipe- making from the English, so it probably followed that they also borrowed the idea of the pipe case; after all,  Dutch aristocratic gentlewomen  like the English, were avid clay pipe-smoking people.