Ceramic novelty bong
Object No. 2004/161/1
A bong is a device for smoking marijuana (cannabis), in which the smoke is cooled by bubbling it through a chamber of water. The smoking of marijuana is becoming an increasingly common recreational pursuit in Australia. One way of enjoying the smoking of marijuana is to use a bong, or water pipe, which cools the smoke and may remove some impurities from it. Even though marijuana remains an illicit drug, many kinds of manufactured bong are freely available in specialty shops. They include purely functional water pipes, often made of glass, which may have sophisticated features to improve the experience of smoking. At the same time, decorative or novelty bongs are also popular. This ceramic example from the 1980s is in the form of a squat little male figure whose tall puritan-style hat forms the mouthpiece of the bong. The bong complements the Powerhouse collection of cannabis-smoking apparatus, ranging from elaborate Middle Eastern hookahs acquired early in the 20th century, to a home-made 'Orchy' drink bottle bong from the late 1990s.
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Summary
Object Statement
Bong (water pipe), novelty design, ceramic / metal, maker unknown, place of production unknown, c. 1980
Physical Description
This bong is a novelty figure made of ceramic glazed in colours of blue/black, white and green. The figure's squat body is the water bowl of the bong and the peaked puritan-style hat is the mouthpiece. Under the right arm is a small dog and the left hand holds the bong's metal pipe where the cone would fit. There is a hole at the back below the hat brim.
DIMENSIONS
Height
200 mm
Diameter
102 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
Maker unknown
HISTORY
Notes
According to the donor, this bong was owned by a flatmate, a nurse who smoked regularly. She was from the north coast of New South Wales but shared a house at Lilyfield (a Sydney suburb) with the donor and another person from around 1982 to 1986. When she moved out it was left behind in the shed with other belongings for many years. It was only rediscovered by the donor during a cleanout in 2000.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Anonymous gift, 2004
Acquisition Date
29 November 2004
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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