Water pipe made of bamboo and aged paktong. Translated literally this means white copper, but is a silver-white alloy consisting of copper, zinc and nickel. The body is of double-cylindrical form with four holes, which hold a tobacco holder, a water container with stem and mouthpiece and two mobile tubular receptacles. The sides are decorated with six overlay paktong 'shou' characters, meaning longevity, in two different styles on a ground of very fine bamboo ribs. These are edged with two paktong bands embellished with a chased swastika design on a punched fish-roe ground. The paktong water container is cylindrical with a long goose-neck stem and mouthpiece at one end and a shorter hollow tube at the other where a tubular burner is inserted. The tobacco holder is also cylindrical, with hinged lid. A Chinese character 'meng' is engraved on the base of the water pipe, and probably refers to the original owner's last name.
