I Need Help With This Comoy's.....Please

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seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
I've been researching this Comoy's pipe for a couple weeks now, and have come up with zero. I've even contacted a few knowledgeable friends, who have even more knowledgeable contacts, and still....zero. What I have is a Comoy's Specimen Straight grain pipe. And from what I can find, a fairly rare pipe to begin with. The problem is that through all my research, I keep coming up with one constant, every single example of a Comoy's Specimen Straight Grain are all...straight Billiards. Different model#'s, but all are straight Billiards. The one I have is a Bent Billiard, model# 214 to be exact. This pipe is definitely pre-Cadogan, with the 3 piece insert on the stem, and my guess would be 1950's or 1960's. I'd like to sell this pipe, but I can't, because no one has ever seen a Bent Billiard Specimen Straight Grain. And if I can't determine it's value, I can't sell it....period. So any help would be greatly appreciated. This pipe has been restored/refinished (by me), as the original finish had dulled to a rather bland grey/brown color.

0-Comoys-Specimen_zps0b06z6rj.jpg


0-Comoys-Specimen2_zpslujizn1k.jpg


0-Comoys-Specimen3_zpskvmejcwi.jpg


0-Comoys-Specimen7_zpsku41lwrc.jpg


 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I'm not sure what the question is. That being said, what do you mean by re-finished? Was stain involved or does the pipe look so orange because of the lighting?

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
Well, if you think this pipe is orange, then you may want to check the settings on whatever image rendering software you're using, as this pipe is definitely NOT orange. And re-finishing means just that, the pipe has been refinished.

LOL....and you're not sure what the question is???.....let me know when you figure it out.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
postimg.cc
This is one reference point, two sold at $1,950 - but one was had the additional Extraordinaire stamping and the other Blue Riband.
But, not many bents are found (none?).
One just recently sold, I remember seeing it.
A guess would be around $250 or so.

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
Thank you Mr Jones. I was hoping you'd show up, as I knew you would be able to give me some general information and point me in the right direction. I was beginning to think this was a one-off pipe, simply because I could nothing to reference it.......thanks again.

 

beefeater33

Lifer
Apr 14, 2014
4,063
6,118
Central Ohio
I'm not real clear on what the question is either?????

Pricing?---- Just start the bidding on Ebay at .99 cents, and let the market decide?

Rarity?---- They aren't common, but not extremely rare, a quick google search turned up a Quarter Bent Pear

Another shape here: LOVAT

And a seven day set, with lots of different shapes: 7 day set

Other shapes besides straight billiards are out there. The value of the pipe would be what someone is willing to pay for the pipe.............. :puffy:

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
Well, at least Mr Jones understood the question, and to me, that's all that matters. And the 2 pipes you referenced are both straight pipes, as in... the shanks are straight not bent as in the photo of the pipe I have. And I'd never sell anything I own of quality on Ebay....never.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
postimg.cc
Good searching Beef, I didn't find that bent Pear. That (594) and the 215 referenced here are the only bents that can be found. I guess the briar wasn't conducive to a bent shape.
Here's a 215 "Selected Straight Grain" that I restored a long time ago (ugh, I see some mistakes here).

https://rebornpipes.com/2012/07/28/selected-straight-grain-comoys-restoration/
The Selected Straight grains were really 2nds because of a flaw (the one above had a fill). They typically also didn't have the Comoy's stamp or C stem logo (but apparently some did). I wonder if they tried making bents but when the flaw(s) appeared, they were regularted to Selected Straight grain 2nd's status? Wow, this was back in 2013, perhaps one of my first restorations. Wish I had that one back again to do...

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I'll ask the question again, was the pipe re-stained? And, yes, it may just be my monitor, or the lighting. I like the pipe, the shape of the stem is lovely. If the question is what is it worth, I'd say $200-$400. I might even say it being a bent might make it more attractive to a collector/buyer.

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
dm - thanks for the update. I was thinking $300 for the pipe (btw - no fills or flaws in the briar on this one), but in all honesty, I couldn't offer it for sale without knowing, as I may have under priced it or over priced it. And by refinishing, yes, the original finish was dull and worn, so I sanded it down to bare wood and re-stained the briar....thanks again for your input, it is appreciated.
jp - I sanded down the briar to bare wood (wet sanding with 320 grit wet/dry then wet sanding again with 400 grit wet/dry) and stained with Fiebings Light Brown. Funny thing I've learned about re-staining briar. I use Fiebings Light Brown on 90% of the pipes that I refinish, and the color is different on every pipe.

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
Here's a couple of examples of other pipes I've stained with Fiebings Light Brown. The first is a Charatan I own:

Charatan-Executive_zps4zazzjtg.jpg

.....and another, which is an original Linkman's Dr Grabow I also own, same color, Light Brown:

1a-linkman1_zpszsgkblhr.jpg


 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I sanded down the briar to bare wood (wet sanding with 320 grit wet/dry then wet sanding again with 400 grit wet/dry) and stained with Fiebings Light Brown.
This answers my question, and now having seen the pipe before any work was done (the 16 Dec ebay listing) I would strongly recommend to NOT DO IT AGAIN. To do that to a pipe like that, to be brutally honest, makes its value plummet. With high grade English pipes, ORIGINALITY is key. Sorry, but that's the truth.

 

doctorbob

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
772
1,157
Grand Ledge, Michigan
I collect Comoy's, so take this as a collector's opinion. Pluses are high grade, good stamps, rare shape (not unique though, I had a SSG shape 13 at one point). Negative points are that the pipe has been refinished- this is huge to a collector, from the pictures it appears that the stem needs further work, the front outer rim might have been reshaped, and I wonder if the pipe has been over reamed in the past as it appears to lack the inner rim bevel that almost all post-war production had.
I would suspect 200-300 would be a reasonable expectation. Comoy pipes have been in a bubble as of late and it is a good time to sell.
Doc

 

seadog

Lurker
Jun 27, 2016
48
0
Wilmette, IL
Considering that I've restored, refinished and sold any number of Comoy's, GBD's, Dunhill's, Charatan's and others. And each one sold for every penny of what they were worth, if not more. So at this point I WILL TOTALLY DISREGARD what you said and continue to do what I do. And as I value the opinion of Ken Barnes in reference to a couple of extremely rare Charatan pipes that I totally re-finished and re-stained, you can also take that for what it's worth. Sorry, but that's the truth.....

 
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