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A bubble pipe is a toy shaped like a tobacco pipe, intended to be used for blowing soap bubbles.
Contents
Information
Most bubble pipes are made of plastic and therefore cannot be used for actual smoking. They are usually brightly colored, and sometimes feature fanciful designs including multiple bowls.
Children are also commonly found to have a bubble pipe in order to create a sophisticated dress up look. The toy is controversial because some people believe it can encourage children to smoke later in life, like the candy cigarettes.
History
An 18th-century painting by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin shows a young boy blowing a bubble out of what seems to be a pipe.
In 1918, John L. Gilchrist filed a patent for a style of bubble pipes that can be produced quickly and easily. Bubble pipes were one of the first and original mass productions of bubble blowers that became popular so that kids could imitate an adult smoker. In the 1940s, the packaging of the bubble pipes were known to be colorful and decorated in a bright style.