Tinderbox sells online, the hand-made crafts of Richard Lees: his clay tobacco pipes, plaster mold making service for the ceramics industry and craft ceramists and Victorian toy resource programme for New Zealand schools. Founded in 2003, Tinderbox is in Auckland, New Zealand.

Clay tobacco pipes Because moulds taken off original pipe fragments of Victorian pipes are used; therefore, they are accurate reproductions of the body of clay tobacco smoking pipes. However, the original pipes used wax on the mouth piece, they are therefore unhygienic. So, I twice fire my pipes glazing the mouth piece, giving a more hygienic pipe and sell them online.

Tobacco smoking pipes made in moulds or molds – both spellings are acceptable, were made in metal molds on a ‘gin’ press. The word ‘gin’ is an old English word for engine, a device. Examples of gin pressed pipes are my Pakuranga Toasties, marbled pipes and earthenware white pipes.

Plaster mold making service for the ceramics artist, potter and industry, based in Auckland, New Zealand, selling bespoke mould making (molds) for slip casting and pottery. Because I do not stock plaster molds but make to order off customer supplied models I am able to redeem molds by making new from damaged molds, with no model supplied, you supply an existing damaged mold, I make new. However, I make some models too! Clay pipe molds are not made for sale.

Victorian toy presentation My outreach programme takes a Victorian toy programme into schools with a hands-on presentation for students.

Richard Lees, Craftsman, I make  bessoms (traditional brooms), wooden spoons, pottery, leather items and turn wood on a pole lathe (foot driven lathe), as well as other craft items