![]() Martin: In 2001, I was working as a fixer and translator for a good friend of mine, Karl Taro Greenfeld, a journalist for the Asian edition of Time. That’s why I hung out in opium dens and experimented with the drug.” “I had all these little tools and wasn’t sure what they were. The opium bed is at the back of the room. Collectors Weekly: What drew you to antique opium paraphernalia?Ī luxurious and ornately decorated opium smoking room, possibly inside one of the “flower boat” that could be hired for a night of opium smoking on the Pearl River. This summer, Random House published his latest book, Opium Fiend: A 21st Century Slave to a 19th Century Addiction, in which Martin details how his obsessive collectors’ bug led to his opium addiction. Before long, he and a friend had created their own private opium den in rural Southeast Asia, but when another of Martin’s smoking buddies, a top Asian ceramics expert, died in 2008, possibly from withdrawal symptoms, Martin knew he had to quit before it was too late for him, too. As he came across various pipes and tools, he sought out the last of the Laotian opium dens to learn how these accoutrements were used and, yes, to try them himself. Martin’s research wasn’t limited to mining Victorian medical books or hunting down authentic pieces on eBay. Above: This Vietnamese smoker’s layout included a hardwood tray with mother-of-pearl inlay and miniature, spittoon-shaped pots on which to rest pipe-bowls. Top: Anti-opium propaganda poster from China, circa 1930. After years of intense research, he produced the first opium-smoking antiques guide, The Art of Opium Antiques, in 2007. Because opium smoking had been so thoroughly eradicated around the globe in the early 20th century, Martin realized very little had been written about these objects. There, he also discovered the beauty of antique opium pipes, bowls, and lamps, as well as opium trays and the hundreds of little implements that went with the ritual. Eventually the Navy veteran found his way to Bangkok, Thailand, where he worked as a journalist and travel writer, covering Southeast Asia. Recently, Steven Martin-no relation to the actor-came by the Collectors Weekly office and told me all about his harrowing journey from collecting to substance abuse. He started out collecting innocuous things at first, it was seashells and stones, then it was currency and Asian antiques like textiles. ![]() But leave it to an obsessive antiques collector to figure out how to get to addicted to a 19th-century drug. The Victorian-era form of the drug, known as chandu, is rare, and the people who know how to use it aren’t exactly forthcoming. We will be happy to discuss any issue you have and attempt to resolveįree to message us if you have any questions.You really have to work hard to get hooked on smoking opium. If there is any issue with your item, please contact us before you leaveįeedback. We leave feedback for all of our customers, and we ask that you do the same for While we do not personally add any extra shipping charges, eBay WILLĬharge you an amount determined by them during checkout. ![]() LPs are removed from jacketsīUYERS PLEASE NOTE: We DO ship internationally through eBay’s Global Shipping Record mailers with record pads and bubble wrap. Take the utmost care when shipping records. Upgrade shipping to Priority Mail with insurance, also free of charge to you. If your purchase totals $50 or more, we will Albums will be shipped by USPS Media Mail. Shipping is FREE within the United States for an unlimited number of albums, soĬheck out our other listings! We will ship within 2 business days after ![]() If no payment is received, the transaction will be canceled. Note our albums are VISUALLY graded, not play graded, unless otherwiseĭue within 3 days. Send any messages asking to buy at a different price than what is listed. Will NOT accept private offers on any of our merchandise, so please do not The cover is in NM condition with the exception of a tiny bend in the lower right corner. It has only been played one time, and then shelved. Blige - What's The 411? - 2017 25th Anniversary Reissue - 2LP Black Vinyl Front cover artwork has embossed type over photo.
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