A
tobacco pipe, often called simply a
pipe, is a device specifically made to smoke
tobacco. It comprises a chamber (the
bowl) for the
tobacco from which a thin hollow stem (shank) emerges, ending in a
mouthpiece (the bit). Pipes can range from very simple machine-made briar models to highly prized hand-made artisanal implements made by renowned pipemakers, which are often very expensive
collector's items. Pipe smoking is the oldest known traditional form of tobacco smoking.