Water Pipe Base

Art Historical Context

This elegant brass water pipe base, crafted by an unknown artist in the19th century, exemplifies refined metalworking traditions of Islamic art. Standing at 7¼ inches high and 6⅝ inches in diameter, its sturdy form was designed to hold water for cooling tobacco smoke in a hookah, or nargile—a social accessory integral to Ottoman and Middle Eastern culture. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1907 and now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Islamic Art department it reflects the period's emphasis on functional beauty in everyday objects. In the 19th century, as the Ottoman Empire and neigh...