Usually un-glazed, and burn hot, clay pipes do have their aficionados, however, who claim that, unlike other materials, a well-made clay pipe gives a “pure” smoke with no chance of ghosting, in other words, tobacco you use won’t leave traces of smell and flavor behind – a bit like meerschaum pipes.
Clay pipes were once considered disposable items and the rapidly changing designs in the past are often used as an aid in dating by archaeologists.
The two pictured above are a bit unusual in that only the bowls are made of clay.