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verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
It's marked as above on one side and with "Mac's Palo Alto" and 565 on the other. Stem has an "E" inside a circle that jives with Pipepedia and Pipephil.eu I've read that Emerson pipes were a Comoy's second. I'm guessing maybe it's from the late 20s or 30s because it has a freaky stinger and is a nicely made four square paneled pipe. Certainly has the look from that period and I've seen old Dunhill's that look similar from that time.

Picked it up in a junk shop quite cheap and think it will clean up nicely. Just like to know some history about it and my Google Fu has failed me utterly.

Thinking the Mac's Palo Alto was a shop stamp or maybe it was made on their behalf? Don't know, but if you do, please let me know!

Are Emerson pipes any good? Reputed to be decent smokers? Any value or collectible interest? (I'm not plugging the pipe and don't want to sell it, so that's not why I'm asking, more just curious as to what it is.). Just a fun bit of history to contemplate once it gets all cleaned up and something to ponder whilst smoking it. I'm most interested in the date it was made just for my own curiosity.
 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,214
The business is called Mac's Smoke Shop, founded I think by Glen W McManus (1894-1970) in about 1934, and later run by his son Alfred L McManus (1916-1998). Not sure if it's still in the family. The shop has been located on Emerson Street in Palo Alto for many years.
 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,214
A little more digging shows that the shop was established by 1930. The owner was a Swedish immigrant named Nels Nessler. When he died in 1941 Glen W McManus took over. While the shop moved a few times over the last 89 years it was always located on Emerson.

In any case the pipe can’t be older than the early forties since that’s when “Mac” (McManus) became the owner.

Two very long shots you might try to date your pipe: 1) call the shop and see if anyone there has records relating to private label pipes (who made them & when they were sold); 2) look closely at the stinger to see if there’s a patent number stamped on it. Both are fantastically unlikely but if you have time on your hands why not?

And of course clear pictures of the nomenclature might help someone here identify the font or other aspects of the stamping.

Rgds,
Jon
 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,214
One last thwack and then the horse is probably dead.

Comoy is a reasonable guess. I know they did make a panel that looks pretty much like yours, bearing the 565 shape number. I'm not sure when they introduced the 565 since not all shape numbers are shown in catalogs.

Here's a picture of a Comoy that Steve Fallon sold a while back; it's a Tradition in shape number 565:

6478
 

verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
That’s some fantastic information, thank you!!! I will check the stinger after I get it cleaned up. That’s definitely the same shape and style of the 565 and looks identical to the Emerson. I’m going to call the shop I think and ask them if they know. Hadn’t even thought of that but it’s a great suggestion.
 
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verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
Here’s a better shot of the style # stamping and the Mac’s, Palo Alto.

I’m going to call right now and see if anyone can add anything about the history. It’s kinda fun tracking down little mysteries like this.

Actually makes me want to perhaps find a shape like this and try to collect all the variations on the style across all the different sub brands.

Sounds sufficiently like a fool’s errand to interest me, lol.
 

verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
According to the gentleman I spoke with in California the current owner has been there for about 20 years and might have records or not, but I can try back next week and see what happens.

You gotta love pipe shops where random people call up from out of state asking about something they sold decades ago - didn’t even make the fellow stammer, just took it in stride like he gets calls like that all the time. Too funny.

It’s going to be even funnier in this age if the owner has all that information easily accessible and can fill in all the details from historical records. That would actually restore my faith in humanity somewhat. It’s generally difficult to get the churlish and ignorant teenagers to look up from their devices long enough to take your money and forget all about getting an answer from them about anything. But I digress....

Seemed like okay folks at Mac’s.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
House pipes are an interesting subject. Tinderbox has sold many pipes stamped with its name, all sourced from various brands. Iwan Ries, the big Chicago pipe shop has sourced its pipes from Benton, Savinelli, and Genod among other brands. At least this pipe gives a clue who actually made it. My first pipe is a Tinderbox St. Ives, and the chain historian posited it was made by Chacom, still smoking after all these years. Disneyland and L.L. Bean each has had house pipes in the past. In each case, I think Dr. Grabow had a hand in at least some of these. Pipe shops selling house pipes tend to sell good ones since they want to encourage pipe smoking and return customers.
 

verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
I’ve also got an old St Ives from The Tinder Box. Bulldog with a very French look about it. Similar to other pipes from St Claude, so it wouldn’t surprise me to learn it was a rebranded Chacom. I’d buy another in a heartbeat if I ran across one in great condition!
 
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