1913 Comoy's 4 Pipe Set

ssjones · Feb 23, 2016

Was anyone else watching this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Comoys-Pipe-Collection-Display-Lot-4-Sterling-Silver-Band-1913-Amber-vtg-/151983954203?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=NMWvBlC7LPw4eMhnchcpV3qlXoI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
One pipe is toast, but the other three look worthy of a restem and restoration. The "O" Birmingham hallmark date does appear to be from 1913.

gloucesterman · Feb 23, 2016

George would be happy to see one of us make that purchase! I wonder if those light stems are amber. Between what you will pay and what you will invest in restoration I'm not sure you could recover it. You'll always have re-stemmed pipes and that will effect the value. But if you're a Comoy guy they would be a nice set to have.

sablebrush52 · Feb 23, 2016

Well, somebody got a deal on that!

mso489 · Feb 23, 2016

$47.83 per pipe, which if you are a Comoy devotee, is probably a good deal despite stem problems.

dmcmtk · Feb 23, 2016

So Al, do you now own them...?

buroak · Feb 23, 2016

I had that auction in my Watch List. I think the outcome is one of those cases where many watchers wrote the auction off as a case of "this will go through the roof" and decided to just check back after it ended.

ssjones · Feb 24, 2016

I think the outcome is one of those cases where many watchers wrote the auction off as a case of "this will go through the roof" and decided to just check back after it ended.

Exactly my case!

mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast · Feb 24, 2016

That's a great group of pipes; straight and bent billiards and apples. They look so good together. Nice get! Congrats! :P

captainsousie · Feb 25, 2016

Wow...In my opinion, somebody got a heck of a deal. Even with the restem costs, that group is beautiful and if my experience is any guide they will smoke wonderfully.

marvich · Jun 4, 2016

I'm new to the forums, and scrolled back through the threads and found this. Thought you'd like to see how they came out.

I've been trying my hand at repairing cracked briars for several years now, and have done quite a few. Nearly all have cracks to through the rim, which calls for a rim transplant. I was pretty sure I could fix the cracked dublin, and the tapered stems only needed minimal shortening. The butterfly repairs are straight grain ebony, concave on the inner face, and just under 3mm thick. Set in epoxy. Here's a few of my Dunhills with dentures.

pitchfork · Jun 4, 2016

Great to see that old set of Comoys again. Never seen anything like those Dunhill repairs -- very interesting.

danielplainview · Jun 4, 2016

@marvic
Very interesting rim repairs. Would you mind posting more pictures and elaborate on the process.

ssjones · Jun 4, 2016

I can echo Dave's comments - please show us some pix of how this is done. Bravo on that set!

jpmcwjr · Jun 5, 2016

And a question: Why did you not follow the original stem lengths and shapes? Just personal preference or other considerations?
And, nice work!

mawnansmiff · Jun 5, 2016

Very artful work and clever thinking Sir, I take my hat off to you.
Regards,
Jay.

marvich · Jun 5, 2016

I shorten and recut original stems whenever possible, since this preserves the perfect fit. Logos as well, although that is not an issue with 1913 Comoy's. As you can see the amber stem has yet to regain its butterscotch patina. The cost of replacing it is probably the primary reason this set sold so cheap.
I'll confess to not being a purist however, as well as admitting to being a bottomfeeder, since most of the pipes I buy these days are cracked, and widely considered unrestorable. While this may be true, some of them are still worth preserving. I've been pleased with the results from the start, and have done quite a few. Too many perhaps as I'm not sure how they'll be received.
Here's a 1931 Dunhill LB8 Patent that survived a rim transplant, and emerged a nosewarmer. The stem had already been repaired once - with a sterling silver mouthpiece - but this had failed where it was threaded into the vulcanite.

(Check out the re-rimmed pipe I posted on the Bewlay w/ photos thread a few days ago - it is a 1919 hallmarked Bewlay's PATENT APPLIED FOR which I believe is from Sasieni's first year of production.)

marvich · Jun 7, 2016

Here's a few more.
A 1923 Dunhill 60 Inner Tube PATENTED MARCH-9-15.

A 1923 Loewe L&Co nosewarmer.

One crack is visible on this one. Starting from a small, dark wedge of fill at the rim, it snakes its way down angling to the left.

I had already accumulated a box of potential rim donors when I decided to try doing these, so the repair consists of topping the bowl at the desired spot and bridging the crack(s) with a slice of briar harvested from a donor bowl. I cut these freehand on the bandsaw, since I'm a retired boatbuilder, and comfortable with it. But it's not for the faint-hearted. Skilled technique with epoxy is needed as well, to achieve a full strength joint while preventing any adhesive from entering the chamber .
A Barling's Make Ye Olde Wood 1701.

One crack is faintly seen on this Barling as well. It runs down the middle of a narrow streak of slightly darker grain on the facet that angles toward the shank. The new rim on this one was cut from a slice of plateau.

mawnansmiff · Jun 7, 2016

That is excellent work Marvich and a technique I should like to acquire myself. I do have a few pipes that would benefit from a new 'crown' though I don't have as yet any donor pipes to give me the required wood. Best I buy some more estates :D
Regards,
Jay.

ssjones · Jun 7, 2016

That is amazing. The Barlings Quaint actually looks better with your top! If you do this again, take some pictures during the process, it fascinates me.

1913 Comoy's 4 Pipe Set

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