Most extant opium-related antiques available for sale today are modern reproductions.  Many were produced for the Hong Kong tourist trade in the 1970s or latterly
simply to capitalise on the popularity of this form of art with collectors. Another problem is that many items that are today described as being related to opium simply
are not. The most obvious example are many smoking pipes from China and Southeast Asia that were never intended for opium use but for tobacco.

It's also the case that many genuine opium antiques are not particularly well made or attractive. Mostly, they were utilitarian objects made for use rather than to be
appreciated as works of art. Occasionally, opium antiques are encountered which are both genuine works of art and utilitarian. Generally, these were made for
wealthy opium users - merchants and members of the nobility.

All of our opium-related objects have been acquired from within the United Kingdom & Europe. We do not acquire these objects directly from Asia. Generally,
objects acquired in this way have been in the UK and Europe since colonial times, having been brought back from Asia by colonial administrators and the like as
souvenirs. This is helpful in establishing their authenticity. Accordingly, we have carefully assembled a small selection of unusually fine and genuine opium antiques.

A good guide for opium antiques is The Art of Opium Antiques by Steven Martin, published by Silkworm Books, 2007. It addresses many of these issues, and
contains many useful photographs.
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Silver Opium Container
Mughal & North India
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 823
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Small Bronze Ewer
Deccan, India
16th century
Inventory no.: 1054
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Chased Silver Wine or Opium-water Flask
Hyderabad or Deccan, India
19th century
Inventory no.: 1066
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Silver Mughal Wine or Opium Water Ewer (Chuski)
Northern India
19th century
Inventory no.: 1083
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