Fine Quality Late 19th Century Antique Chinese Qing Dynasty Paktong Water Pipe by (Hankou Rui Cheng) Marked

For sale is a fine quality, 100% original museum grade Chinese water smoking pipe (frequently mistakenly referred to in the West as an opium pipe); dating from the late 19th century Qing Dynasty This substantial display piece measures an impressive 13 1/2″ high x 4″ wide.
Crafted from premium paktong (traditional Chinese white copper), the pipe remains in crisp, museum-quality condition with zero dents, zero structural restorations, and no repairs. The base retains its beautiful, authentic unpolished original pewter like gray-silver patina with deep natural contrast highlighting the exquisite openwork. The exterior features a classic, heavily detailed openwork casing depicting bamboo stalks and leaves, alongside plum blossom cutouts—traditional scholar motifs denoting resilience and moral purity.
The underside of the hinged tobacco compartment lid features clear, hand-engraved classical markings: “漢口” (Hankou Port) and “瑞成造” (Manufactured by the Rui Cheng Workshop), verifying its elite treaty-port origin.
Unlike most examples, this set is entirely complete and fully intact, featuring all of its original, removable components: the tobacco burning bowl, the decorative pincher tweezers, and the multi-tiered cleaning pick. An incredibly rare find in this excellent and all original condition with a fabulous untouched patina. There are zero repairs, no soldering restoration and no dents!
Note: The water pipe retains its original matching, loose components which are so often lost over time. The set includes:
The core dual-chamber water filtration base and long curved inhaling stem
The removable cylindrical tobacco-burning bowl
The ornate flat-handled ember tweezers
The tiered cleaning probe/pick
This is an exceptional, untouched cross-section of late Imperial Chinese social history, perfect for serious collectors of East Asian decorative arts or fine tobacciana.
Dimensions: 13 1/2″ high x 4″ wide x 1 1/2″ deep
Note: I am a second generation antiques dealer and have been in business, buying, selling, and collecting, for 50 years; I am also a member of several prestigious antique associations. Thus, I am well qualified to inspect and evaluate the products I offer for sale and I guarantee this to be authentic and as I have described.
Place of Origin: China • Period: Circa 1890 c. • H: 13 1/2"" W: 4"" D: 1 1/2""