1930s Comoy's Blue Riband Bargain?

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buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
http://www.ebay.com/itm/391726138797?redirect=mobile
I think someone may have just got quite a good deal. They still paid a pretty penny, though.

 

samcoffeeman

Can't Leave
Apr 6, 2015
441
4
I put a decent size bid on it but didn't make the cut. Pretty sure it's Unsmoked. Figured it would go $4-500+ if it was advertised properly as a 1930s Unsmoked Blue Riband.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Orley, That is a good question. Like samcoffeeman I think it is unsmoked. I expected more fireworks in the auction's final seconds.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,067
Maryland
postimg.cc
Right Sam. That one didn't even show up in any of my Comoy's searches.
This bulldog ended earlier today as well, in the same ballpark. A Blue Riband still eludes me.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Comoy-039-s-Blue-Riband-Shape-4-Saddle-Bulldog-With-Box-And-Sleeve-/272586023104?ul_noapp=true&nma=true&si=S5tnzZafBlkNuHgh7wIfEJ3I06U%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
s-l500.jpg


 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Al, I figure it eluded the saved searches of several collectors. I was at least glad to see that it was not apparently snapped up by a reseller.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
By the way, the price of the one in your link goes to show just how good a deal was the other.

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
Saw the boxed pipe, only the second Blue Riband I've seen with the "rugby" London Made COM. Doug Valitchka sold this one in July '15,
30sbrdougv-600x378.jpg


30sbrdougv2-600x288.jpg


30sbrdougv3-600x479.jpg

Some more historical information, The Blue Riband is an unofficial accolade given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest speed, and dates to the early 19th Century, with the Cunard White Star Liner, Queen Mary, ultimately posting 30.99 knots (57.39 km/h) in 1938.

The last vessel to hold the title was the SS United States, on her maiden voyage in 1952, the United States upped the Blue Riband to 34.51 knots (63.91 km/h). In 1958, the transatlantic airlines put jet transports into service and the days of the record breakers were numbered. Queen Mary retired in 1967, and the United States in 1969.


So the Queen Mary sets the record in 1938, Comoy's names their highest grade pipe in its honor, and shortly thereafter the Second World War begins, with all of the well known rationing and decrease in production of English pipes. Safe to say not many Blue Ribands were made before the War.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Dave, I knew it would be a short wait for further enlightenment from you. Thanks.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
What are these sellers thinking offering such grand pipes? Don't they know we're supposed to be buying tobacco right now?

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,831
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
What are these sellers thinking offering such grand pipes? Don't they know we're supposed to be buying tobacco right now?
Kind of makes you wonder what will happen to the prices of collectible pipes a few years down the line if the pipe tobacco market becomes more restrictive. I'm not buy much of either anymore. Got plenty of both.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Good point, sable'. What does a limited and less various market for blends do to pipe prices? It would seem to decrease the numbers of pipe buyers and lower the prices, unless pipe collection rather than smoking per se became much more popular -- possible but not necessarily likely.
Comoy seems to be one of those brands that lost prestige when it relocated back to France from England. The English estate Comoys seem to keep increasing in price, but the new pipes seem to have settled in the middle to modest range. The new ones look well finished, anyway, from their photographs. They make a good looking blast zulu, which is to be commended.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Good point, sable'. What does a limited and less various market for blends do to pipe prices? It would seem to decrease the numbers of pipe buyers and lower the prices, unless pipe collection rather than smoking per se became much more popular -- possible but not necessarily likely.
MSO, Our minds are thinking very much alike on this point, which is either good for me or bad for you. There are manifold possible outcomes between those you posit, but I think what actually happens will tend towards one of those outcomes. The first outcome seems more likely, but I think there is a fair chance that pipe smoking enthusiasts lacking new blends to buy may focus more on collecting pipes.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Al, I figure it eluded the saved searches of several collectors. I was at least glad to see that it was not apparently snapped up by a reseller.
I guess I was wrong. A reseller did snap it up: http://www.ebay.com/itm/401328852284?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
The reseller also appears to have snapped up this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/222447610614?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AWESOME-1930s-Comoys-ROYAL-COMOY-English-Estate-Pipe-3-PIECE-C-360-FLAME-GRAIN-/361986389191

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I guess I was wrong. A reseller did snap it up
Yup. I was watching that just to see what it sold for. An interesting pipe, notice no shape number. To my eye, the bowl just looks a little too short, sort of in between shapes 299 and 296...
oldbr1-600x447.jpg


oldbr12-600x447.jpg


oldbr13-447x600.jpg


oldbr2-554x600.jpg


oldbr22-592x600.jpg


 
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