"Within the eastern Moravia, pipe-making has most extensively developed in the town of Kelč, which belongs to the District of Vsetín at present. In the Kelč Museum (Vsetín Homeland Study Institution ? Kelč Museum), a collection of pipes is displayed, which has been formed after 1900, however, there have not been any archive or other written mentions of the date of the pipe-making origin. If we follow handicrafts, for example, in the near town of Valašské Meziříčí according to the dates of guild foundings, the origins of that handicrafts are substantiated with documents on the old guilds. Drapery guild was founded in 1571, weaving guild in 1559, shoemaking guild in 1596, tailor´s guild in 1555 and hatmaking guild in 1565. In addition, a common guild of smiths, locksmiths, wheelwrights and coopers was among the old guilds, which was confirmed by Jan of Pernštejn in 1545; gunsmiths, clocksmiths, cabinetmakers, needlemakers, spurmakers, kettlesmiths, saddlers, beltmakers, canmakers and turners joined that guild in 1658. In 1610, Jetřich of Žerotín restored the butcher´s guild. The following handicrafts were among later guilds: stockingmakers (founded in 1688) and potters (founded in 1756). The historic documents on handicraft guilds do not include any mentions of the pipe-making so we can assume that it was founded in the late 17th century or the early 18th century. Although the origin of the pipe-making has not been clear, its development and termination have provably been based.

The below described pipes were mostly made of wood. However, other materials were used to manufacture pipes as well. In Holland, for example, popular clay pipes were manufactured, called "gypsovky" in this country. In Germany and Austria, hand-decorated porcelain pipes were manufactured, called "porculánky" by the Czech smokers; the most popular of them were decorated with the Emperor Franz Joseph´s portrait. Carved pipes, originating from Levanta, were manufactured by Austrian and French pipe-makers.

INFORMATION: http://www.kelc.cz