Vintage Carved Demon-Head Smoking Pipe – Soviet Prison Art – Resin Figural Bowl – c.1960s–1980s
Description:
A striking and unusual vintage character pipe featuring a carved demon or protective-spirit head forming the bowl, crafted in dark resin with hand-painted details. The expressive sculpting, exaggerated facial features, and stylised hair give the piece a strong theatrical presence and bold folk-art character.
This pipe is representative of USSR prisoner-made craft, produced circa the 1960s–1980s within correctional workshop environments. Figural pipes of this type often employed dramatic or mythic imagery—such as demons, guardians, or spirit faces—rendered in resin or composite materials and combined with decorative stem components. These pieces were originally made as functional novelty pipes but are now primarily collected for their sculptural quality and Cold War historical context.
The bowl is fitted with a metal-lined combustion chamber. The shank is constructed from stacked decorative beads in clear, gold, and red tones made from moulded acrylic/resin. The stem is carved from a matte black composite material with a faceted, sculptural profile that curves gently outward. A small chain is attached to the bowl, likely intended for hanging, securing, or decorative effect.
Features:
• Era: c. 1960s–1980s
• Origin: USSR (Soviet Union), prisoner-made craft
• Form: Demon-head resin bowl with metal-lined insert
• Shank: Stacked resin/acrylic beads in multicolour tones
• Stem: Sculpted black composite with faceted carving
• Length: approx. 11 inches (see ruler in photos)
• Chain: Small attached chain for hanging or securing
Construction / Materials:
• Carved resin or composite demon-head bowl
• Internal metal bowl insert
• Moulded resin/acrylic bead shank
• Carved black composite stem
• Metal chain attachment
• Hand-painted detailing with aged surface wear
Condition:
Good vintage condition with age-related surface wear, paint loss, and patina to the resin. Beaded shank intact with minor ageing. Stem secure. Metal-lined bowl shows expected discoloration from age. No major structural damage observed. Sold as a collectible pipe — untested for smoking use.
Type:
Vintage figural smoking pipe / mid-century prison art sculptural collectible
A visually dramatic Soviet prison art demon-head pipe — an expressive and uncommon example of 1960s–1980s USSR prisoner-made craftsmanship, ideal for collectors of character pipes, outsider folk art, or Cold War-era curios.
