This pipe made of lacquered bamboo and ivory is used to smoke opium. The bowl made of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain is hold together by silver mounts. In 19th-century China, opium smoking was accepted as a social grace throughout society. To both the elite and the poor, offering a guest an opium pipe was likened to serving tea. With the wave of Chinese migration to the Straits Settlements during the 19th century, the practice of opium smoking was also brought to Singapore. Regular use has led to problems with addiction amongst some groups, while others have preferred stimulants such as tobacco.
