The production of clay tobacco pipes was a large industry. Especially pipes produced in Gouda had such a high quality that they were indicative for other pipe productions in Europe. These pipes were exported in large quantities all over the world. This thesis is the result of a study of the economic factors that resulted in the development of this industry, its high days and its decline. For this study archaeological data from all over the world have been used. It were mainly English soldiers who introduced pipe making in our country at the end of the 16th century. From the beginning the model of the pipes and the way they were produced developed in a different way than in England. Initially, comparing the many centres of pipe production, Amsterdam was the most important. Gouda took over before the middle of the 17th century. The quality of the Gouda pipes developed much faster than in other centres. This was hardly due to the pipe makers guild, but mainly due to innovations and fierce competition (also among themselves). The improvement of the quality due to the use of better fuel and better mixtures of clays made it possible to produce pipes with a highly balanced shape. The peak of production was about 1738. Than about two hundred million pipe a year were produced. Especially larger pipe maker shops with important brands stayed prosperous during a longer period. The decline of the trade was manly determined by other ways of tobacco use and impoverishment of parts of the population.