Vintage Hand-Carved Demon Face Pipe – 31cm – Soviet Prison Art – Mixed Resin & Wood  

Description: A striking vintage mixed-material character pipe featuring a carved demon/ogre face forming the bowl. The design includes exaggerated features such as raised brows, wide eyes, carved teeth, and a protruding red tongue, giving the piece a dramatic and slightly macabre visual presence.  

This pipe is representative of USSR prisoner-made craft, produced circa the 1960s–1970s within correctional workshop settings. Large-scale figural pipes of this type often emphasised bold caricature, expressive faces, and theatrical detailing, combining hand-carved wooden bowls with colourful resin and acrylic stem components. Today, such examples are collected primarily for their sculptural impact and Cold War historical context.  

The mid-section of the stem is constructed from stacked acrylic/resin bands in cream, amber, green, and clear tones, while the upper stem features a twisted resin form — a combination typical of mid-20th-century novelty-style pipes and highly effective for display.  

Features: • Era: c. 1960s–1970s • Origin: USSR (Soviet Union), prisoner-made craft • Length: approx. 31 cm • Demon/ogre face figural bowl with carved beard and brows • Inset green resin eyes, red resin tongue, faux carved teeth • Multi-band acrylic/resin stem section with clear inset window • Twisted resin upper stem • Collectible display pipe (not tested for use)  

Construction / Materials: • Bowl: carved hardwood with hand-tooled facial details • Eyes / tongue / teeth: resin and acrylic components • Stem: layered acrylic/resin laminate with sculpted resin extension • Finish: aged wood with natural patina; polished resin surfaces  

Condition: Good vintage condition with expected wear for age. Small chips, marks, and handling wear present around the face and stem. Resin sections show light scuffing. Not tested for smoking use — offered as a decorative collector’s piece.  

Type: Decorative character pipe / mid-century prison art carving

A bold and expressive Soviet prison art demon-face pipe — a large, visually impactful example of 1970s USSR prisoner-made craftsmanship, ideal for collectors of character pipes, outsider folk art, or Cold War-era curios.