Comoy Dating Guide
Gregory Pease
fancier, it may be of some interest!
About a year ago I posted everything I'd been able to discover about
determining the vintage of older Comoy pipes. Over the past couple of
months, I've received a few requests for the information, so I've added it
to my web site for all the world to see.
If you have anything you can add, or corrections for my assumptions, please
let me know. This is a work in progress, and like any other bit of "Pipe
Archaeology," it will take some time to flush out all the details.
You can find the article either through navigation buttons on my main page,
or directly on http://www.glpease.com/Comoy.html .
Enjoy,
Gregory
--
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed,
it's the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead
John C Loring
dating:
A cased Comoy "Prima" set with 1919 hallmarked HC silver bands: Pipes
stamped with an _all_ upper case fancy COMOY'S with a slightly larger C &
_no_ cant & with LONDON MADE in a straight line on the reverse side of the
shank.
Case stamped with "Comoy's" canted & only "C" upper case & the tail of the
"y" extending forward to act as underlining.
Comoy's "Virgin Briar" with 1925 hallmarked HC silver windcap: curved
COMOYS either with _no_ possessive or added by hand (unclear); MADE IN
ENGLAND in a circle on the reverse shank side together with a three digit
shape number.
Comoy's "Tradition" with 1933 Chicago World's Fair stamping: COMOYS with
_no_ possessive in a straight line with "1933 [Chicago World's Fair Symbol]
CHICAGO" stamped on the reverse side of shank (with _no_ made in england).
Conclusions:
a) pre WWII stampings may vary for any given time period depending upon
model line;
b) COMOYS was sometimes stamped without an apostrophe as early as the '20s
and in both the curved and straight line format;
c) MADE IN ENGLAND in a circle stamping may be found as early as the mid
'20s; &
d) Comoy produced (or at least finished) pipes in Chicago during the 1933
Chicago World's Fair as part of an exhibit (inferred from both the World's
Fair stamping _&_ the lack of a made in england stamping).
--
All the best,
john.
John C. Loring Voice (773) 935-3492
700 Irving Park Rd Fax (773) 871-8374
Chicago, IL 60613 Email lev...@voyager.net
(my web pages may be reached via http://levlor.cjb.net )
"Gregory Pease" <sky...@value.net> wrote in message
news:887sb8$2dq$1...@news.value.net...
Greg Jones
sampling). One a Canadian, which when it had it's original bit, was a
tapered, non- DC bit, shape number 0120. The other is a Bell Dublin, also
non-DC, with a saddle bit, shape number 490X. No X on the Canadian.
Greg Jones
Bob Peterson wrote:
> In article <88a66l$cmh$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> johnwpe...@my-deja.com wrote:
> > Greg, More Power to You!!!
> >
> > Right now, I'm relying on an admixture of Ivy Ryan and RC Hacker (the
> > flacker) to rough date the Charatan Selecteds and Executives in my
> > collection.
> > Dear John,
> Have you figured out who is right about the "FH" markings yet?
> According to Ivy the "FH" was used from the 40s to 1958. Hacker states
> that having an "FH" means it was made after 1958! I'm thinking that
> Hacker is correct.
> Also I have an early Charatan shape chart that shows a mixture of
> DC,tapered and saddle bits. The only ones that have an "X" after the
> number are the saddle bits (Ivy states that the"X" were for any non "DC"
> bit)..........and
> Greg,
> Thanks for any information on Comoys
> Regards,
> Bob
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
johnwpe...@my-deja.com
Right now, I'm relying on an admixture of Ivy Ryan and RC Hacker (the
flacker) to rough date the Charatan Selecteds and Executives in my
collection.
Smoke in peace, and thank you for helping pipe archaelogy,
John
In article <887sb8$2dq$1...@news.value.net>,
"Gregory Pease" <sky...@value.net> wrote:
> Though this will not help you on a lonely Saturday night, if you are
a Comoy
> fancier, it may be of some interest!
>
> About a year ago I posted everything I'd been able to discover about
> determining the vintage of older Comoy pipes. Over the past couple of
> months, I've received a few requests for the information, so I've
added it
> to my web site for all the world to see.
>
> If you have anything you can add, or corrections for my assumptions,
please
> let me know. This is a work in progress, and like any other bit
of "Pipe
> Archaeology," it will take some time to flush out all the details.
>
> You can find the article either through navigation buttons on my main
page,
> or directly on http://www.glpease.com/Comoy.html .
>
> Enjoy,
> Gregory
>
> --
> Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
> committed citizens can change the world; indeed,
> it's the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead
>
Bob Peterson
>
> Right now, I'm relying on an admixture of Ivy Ryan and RC Hacker (the
> flacker) to rough date the Charatan Selecteds and Executives in my
> collection.
Have you figured out who is right about the "FH" markings yet?
According to Ivy the "FH" was used from the 40s to 1958. Hacker states
that having an "FH" means it was made after 1958! I'm thinking that
Hacker is correct.
Also I have an early Charatan shape chart that shows a mixture of
DC,tapered and saddle bits. The only ones that have an "X" after the
number are the saddle bits (Ivy states that the"X" were for any non "DC"
bit)..........and
Greg,
Thanks for any information on Comoys
Regards,
Bob
Charles Perry
40s to early 50s. This confirms what another collector told me after I sent
him a scan of the nomenclature. A nice blasted billiard. Too bad there is
not much collector interest in Comoy.
--
Charles Perry PE
eepe on #Pipes
remove x in address to reply
johnwpe...@my-deja.com
the "Made by Hand" variants ... depending on sizing ...
Greg ... I have a 60's/70's era shape chart (I can date it after 1963
by the fact it has ZIP codes for Lane Ltd ... lolol), I've noticed the
same thing. I do have one Executive with an X bar ... but it has a DC
bit.
On authoritativeness:
Thankfully, Ivy does not come out and declare "I AM" the authority on
Charatan dating. If I remember the words, she says she was just a
young, female, pipe-smoking soldier visiting London on leaves, and that
she regrets not having consiously absorbed more Charatan knowledge.
Hacker, on the other hand, declares "I AM" on just about every brand
except Kaywoodie (Bill Feurbach, thank you!).
John
In article <38A8C6B5...@postoffice.pacbell.net>,
ga...@pacbell.net wrote:
> For what it's worth, I have two Lane era Charatans (a most limited
> sampling). One a Canadian, which when it had it's original bit, was a
> tapered, non- DC bit, shape number 0120. The other is a Bell Dublin,
also
> non-DC, with a saddle bit, shape number 490X. No X on the Canadian.
>
> Greg Jones
>
> Bob Peterson wrote:
>
John Sandin
"Gregory Pease" <sky...@value.net> wrote:
> Though this will not help you on a lonely Saturday night, if you are
a Comoy
> fancier, it may be of some interest!
Thanks, Greg, it's great info and very interesting.
I have a big Comoy Grand Slam billiard, from the '40s, I think. I had
to drill out the broken thingie/plumbing when I bought it, and had a
terrible time cleaning a hideous coconut stench out of it, and had to
have a replacement stem made, but the first smoke (with Dunhill
Elizabethan Mixture) was one of the best I've ever had. Then, I
proceeded to over-clean the shank with Everclear and began a wretched
series of smokes that lasted for a year. But now it seems to be "re-
seasoning", and now Virginia/Perique blends taste and smell great again
in this pipe. The massive chamber in the shank and the condition of
its interior surface seem to have a lot to do with it.
--
--John Sandin
Note: claim...@my-dejanews.com is BOGUS.
To reply by e-mail, remove the "J" in the address below:
Joy...@gvi.net
Bob Peterson
> Also I have an early Charatan shape chart that shows a mixture of
> DC,tapered and saddle bits. The only ones that have an "X" after the
> number are the saddle bits (Ivy states that the"X" were for any non
"DC"
My apologies to Ivy Ryan- Her article states the "X" denoted only
saddle bits.
Bob
LLearym
Grand Slam patent and says #126 on it. The bit does not look orig. but it has
a vertical white bar on top and there is a metal plumbing thingie that goes
into the pipe stem. Thing is there is absolutely not (none) draw with the bit
in the pipe. Is this mismatched or is this the way it should be???? Should I
have another bit made? Any advice would be helpful. Mary
Jimmy Hankins
Mary, If I may, at the risk of misinforming you, I had a Grand Slam
and a vertical bar on top of the stem is correct as is a metal
thingie. The Slams were a filter pipe.IF memory serves the bar was
white /blue/white but I am not sure as I gave the pipe to a friend.
The filter had been removed when I got it and it was a fine smoker. If
you can either clean or remove the filter your problem with the draw
may be solved. Best of luck with it.
Jimmy
Gregory Pease
(LLearym) wrote:
> John - Maybe you can answer a question for me. I recently purchased a Comoy
> Grand Slam patent and says #126 on it. The bit does not look orig. but it has
> a vertical white bar on top and there is a metal plumbing thingie that goes
> into the pipe stem. Thing is there is absolutely not (none) draw with the bit
> in the pipe. Is this mismatched or is this the way it should be???? Should I
> have another bit made? Any advice would be helpful. Mary
Well, I'm not John, but I'll answer anyway, since I'm the one who started
the thread...
The Grand Slams were originally produced with the "bar" set into the stem,
three small rectangles, white, a sort of greenish turquoise, white. These
pieces also have a patent stamp (2001612) reflecting the design of the
plumbing. The later Grand Slams still sport the plumbing, but no patent
number, and the stem logo was changed to the conventional "C". I have seen a
few patent pieces with the "C" logo, but their history has been
questionable.
The filter is unique among such contrivances in that it uses a leather
"o-ring" to seal it in the mortise. These are often dried out or missing,
but the screw used to facilitate changing the thing is almost always
present.
The plumbing screws into the tenon using a standard right-hand thread, and
can usually be removed fairly easily. If it is stuck, heating the aluminum
fitting generally will free it up. There's a "flat" on the fitting which
allows an easy grip with an adjustable wrench; if you want to preserve the
fitting (as I think you should), a protect it with a soft cloth before
putting the wrench to it.
I find the Grand Slams to be excellent smoking pipes, once the plumbing is
removed, and can be some of the most beautifully grained pipes in the line.
The pipe was equivalent in price to the more popular Tradition. The Grand
Slam was made at least through the early 1970s. I've not managed to get a
very good idea of when it was introduced, though I do have an example of a
Virgin Briar from the early 40's which sports the same plumbing and patent
number, as well as the inset shank reinforcement introduced by the Royal.
For obvious reasons, the was only fitted to straight shapes.
Regards,
LLearym
going to try to unplug it and if that fails try to remove it entirely. thanks
again. Mary
John Sandin
lle...@aol.com (LLearym) wrote:
> John - Maybe you can answer a question for me. I recently purchased a
Comoy
> Grand Slam patent and says #126 on it. The bit does not look orig.
but it has
> a vertical white bar on top and there is a metal plumbing thingie
that goes
> into the pipe stem. Thing is there is absolutely not (none) draw
with the bit
> in the pipe. Is this mismatched or is this the way it should be????
Should I
> have another bit made? Any advice would be helpful. Mary
>
Sounds like you have an original bit. Mine has a white bar, also, but
I had to have a new (plain) bit made, since the original had been
gnawed to death by a man/rodent or something.
I can't add anything to Greg's response, except that the original Grand
Slam plumbing may inhibit the draw quite a bit, based on a very similar
London-made pipe I recently bought new ("Winner's Circle"). I took the
plumbing out of that pipe, and I'm very happy with that and with my
Grand Slam.
--
--John Sandin
Note: claim...@my-dejanews.com is BOGUS.
To reply by e-mail, remove the "J" in the address below:
Joy...@gvi.net