glass ; French pipes of porcelain and terra-cotta and clay ; 

 and Roman pipes from the Campagna, in every conceivable 

 variety of fantastic form. 



Asia contributes munificently in quality as well as style, 

 to the great array. From the small metal-bowl pipes of 

 China and Japan, richly decorated with lac and inlaying — 

 sometimes of frosted silver, sometimes of filigree work, 

 sometimes inlaid with silver, sometimes adorned with choice 

 agates or rich crystal ; from the pipe-cases of Japan with 

 their curious leather bags and belts, and richly ornamented 

 stems of pipes ; from the hardwood, silver-inlaid, amber- 

 mouthed pipes from the Caucasus, and Circassia, and 

 Chinese Tartary ; from the rich pipes of Persia, glorious in 

 inlaying and brilliant in colour ; from the superb perforated 

 steel from Damascus, with opium-smokers' boxes from China, 

 &c, down to the minor accessories of the smoking art, the 

 collection is simply unrivalled, and full of interest to all. 

 The choicest treasures of Asiatic art are found in the snuff" 

 bottles of China, where not only is all the mechanic skill of 

 that patient people lavished on coral-coloured lac, and 

 brilliant china, and splendid glass and porcelain, but 

 magnificent samples of agates, and rock crystals, and 

 chalcedony, and avanturine, and lapis lazuli, and jade of all 

 colours, have been worked into fantastic forms, by untiring 

 patience and consummate skill. Among the Japanese 

 specimens are nearly a hundred "netsukes," or buttons, used 

 to fasten the tobacco pouch to the belt, and these, in finely- 

 carved ivory, are worth an hour's study. Minute as much of 

 the carving is, it is full of life and humour ; full of pictures 

 of Japanese life, full of real fun, and most characteristic of 

 the real art of the Japanese. In fact, if this collection of 

 Chinese and Japanese pipes, and pouches, and snuff bottles, 

 and enamels, and glass, and porcelain, and silver, and metal 

 work, and choice stones, alone existed, it would be found a 

 most valuable and comprehensive record of oriental art. 



The Persian metal work— the hookah bases, to contain 

 the water for the narghile or hubble-bubble pipes— are 

 simply the most magnificent examples of enamel work ever 

 seen in our town, or procurable elsewhere. In beauty of 

 design, and richness of colour, and perfection of workman- 



