The "GIANT" Nomenclature is among Comoy's rarest, and this Dunhill Group 6/ODA Size richly deserves it - - - it is nearly twice as large as a standard Comoy Billiard or Pot !!! And, note that this is a " SPECIAL " Straight Grain (and NOT a "Selected' Straight Grain) - - - another Comoy Rarity!!! As you can see in the pictures, the GRAIN and COLOR is comparable to many SPECIMEN STRAIGHT GRAINS and better than most SELECTED STRAIGHT GRAINS!!! In PRISTINE CONDITION , this SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAIN GIANT is a RARE and COLLECTIBLE COMOY PIPE!!!
During its' history, Comoy offered pipes in every shape, size and finish, but they were among the leaders when it came to OVER-SIZE Pipes! In the early 1930s Comoy began upgrading EXTRA LARGE Pipes stamping them "GIANT"! Like the more common "Extraordinaire" nomenclature, this upgrading stamp could be applied to any pipe in any line so there could be a Blue Riband Giant, London Pride Giant and so on! It was used on Comoy's LARGER and/or LONGER pipes (and pipes like the Gresham Giant, Guildhall Giant, Lord Renfrew Giant and other "Giant's" became major pre-World War II collectibles). However, as a practical matter, the stamping " GIANT" was RARELY USED as Comoy also introduced their "800 Series" of over-size pipes in the 1930s. (Comoy's 800s were so successful, that Dunhill copied them and launched their own "800" numbered pipes that became ODA's)! Comoy's over-sized "800 Series" pipes were discontinued shortly after World War II, and the use of the old "GIANT" Stamping was resumed!
According to England's famed historian and pipe manufacturer, Jacques Cole, the name "Gresham Giant" was brought back after world War II (apparently in lieu of the 800s) and was assigned to all Comoy's oversize pipes. However, the practice of upgrading oversize Comoys in any line was also resumed and this Pipe is a great example - - - a SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAIN GIANT !!! It is nearly 6 1/2" LONG (which is longer than most Canadians!) and has a LARGE BOWL OVER 1 3/4" WIDE with a 1" DIAMETER TOBACCO CHAMBER!!! Obviously, this Comoy deserved to be designated as a GIANT!!!
But, remember that this is also a GIANT STRAIGHT GRAIN !!! Comoy was one of the earliest pipe makers to use grain as the distinguishing quality in its high great pipes. We are familiar with those grades starting with Prima and continuing through Deluxe, Royal Comoy, and ultimately the legendary Specimen Straight Grain! The Specimen was being introduced about the same time World War II started in Europe.
The History of the "SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAIN" (like all early Comoy's) is murky at best! SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAINS were rarely available and were offered with the same frequency of Specimen Straight Grains (generally regarded as the "rarest pipe in pipe-collecting" as only one in every 10,000 Comoy's became a Specimen). Also, much like the fabled Specimen, SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAINS were NOT included on Comoy's Price Lists! (They were not distributed with other Comoys but were held at the factory and were available upon special request to retailers. Comoy called this selling "on allocation.") Neither the "SPECIAL " nor "GIANT" NOMENCLATURE appeared regularly in Comoy Catalogs!
Like the more frequently appearing "Selected Straight Grains," the SPECIAL STRAIGHT GRAINS were described in Comoy's literature as "magnificent specimens of straight grain" ...
