Comoy's Comments

[tuold]

I've always read good things about Comoy's pipes here. So when I stumbled upon one up for auction on ebay and just minutes away from closing with no bids, I threw my $9.99 in the pot and won. Kind of exciting, but I'm not sure what I got and I'm hoping someone would be kind enough to fill in the blanks for me.
The pipe is a Comoy's Highgate. I couldn't find much using Google, but the few references out there are from European sources. Maybe it was not exported?
I'd like to have some idea of the date of manufacture. It doesn't look like one of the old ones. Maybe from the 1970's or '80's? Even so, I'm pretty sure I'm going to like this one.
Here are two of the seller's pictures. Thanks for any comments. I can't wait to get it!

 

[newbroom]

If it's a Comoy, it's likely a well made piece, from all I've read about them. That looks well worth a sawbuck, and I'd wager it will be a dreamy smoker too! NICE condition.

 

[tuold]

Wow, I managed to misspell the name throughout post. Well, no excuse other than ignorance. I'll learn.

 

[voorhees]

Love the rustication, reminds me of a Quaint.

I have a early 90's Comoy bent billiard. Its one of my best smokers.

 

[pruss]

Tuold, dating Comoy's pipes can be a little tricky. Pipedia has a good starter kit for dating them here: http://pipedia.org/wiki/A_History_Of_Comoy%27s_and_A_Guide_Toward_Dating_the_Pipes
One of the things you'll want to investigate first, is the "C" on the stem. Is it a "three part C", prior to the sale of the company to the Cadogan group the C was produced using three separate drillings and inlays.
Good luck with your pipe, I hope it's a lovely smoker for you.
-- Pat

 

[wcannoy]

And here I thought someone was talking about me...
::

 

[mso489]

Nice catch on the 'bay. I'm surprised there were no bids. I think maybe pipe buyers have been put off by

all the junk, so maybe now is a good time to bid.

 

[lochinvar]

Love Comoy. I have a little Pedigree pot that is a champ with Balkans.

 

[ssjones]

Title fixed, with apologies to Walt!

 

[snagstangl]

I think in the late 70's before the take over, there were many comoy's with different kind of odd names. I remember seeing them in old Iwan Reis type cataloges.

 

[simnettpratt]

One of my favorite pipes is my palm-filling Comoy's Silver Shadow. It's Comoy's of London, but some were made in Italy, like mine. You can't see the excellent grain in my poorly lighted pic. Superb smoker; I don't know when it was made.

 

[fnord]

Tuold:
Sadly, the late Derek Green's Comoy's site has gone dark:
http://www.derek-green.com/comoy_history03.htm
That place was my bible for several years and I'm damned sorry I never glommed onto the pages and printed them off to hard copy.
My best guess is that, due to all the rustication, Highgate might've been a second and a lesser known one at that. (It certainly could explain why you grabbed that burner for only a sawbuck.) I've had a dozen Comoy's and their seconds over the years and they were all better than average to good smokers.
Your new pipe is going to do just fine.
Fnord

 

[sablebrush52]

The Highgate was Comoy's version of a quaint, influenced by, though different from, the Barling Quaint. You did well. Usually these go for $50 - $100+. It's not, to my limited knowledge, a second.

 

[newbroom]

I bought a Comoys Crescent 296 from before-n-after pipes. It looks unsmoked? It's perfect. I'm saving it in my non-smoking collection for now.

 

[tuold]

Thanks for all the comments and also thank Mod for the spelling corrections! At least now I won't be eternally mortified.
I am checking out all the links provided above.

 

[newbroom]

I just realized that the St. James London Pipe I got for .99 is a Comoy second. It's got a meerschaum lined bowl and is a 296 m, same model as my Comoy. These are oval shanked pipes with beautifully smooth finish.

I do smoke the St James Meersch and it's a favorite already. cool, comfortable, and smooth.

 

[antbauers]

Coincidently, I purchased a lot about a week ago and one of the pipes was the same Comoy Highgate except with a saddle stem. I couldn't find much about it either except it is pre-cadogan and most likely from the 70s, maybe 50s. I'm still in the process of restoring it but I gave it a cleaning and smoked it a few times. I'm also pretty sure it's not a second. It's a nice pipe and smokes well so I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[tuold]

I see that Smokingpipes.com has sold two Highgates in the past. A picture only remains for one. Highgate Picture
Despite the deference in shapes, they all share the same rustication pattern.

 

[instymp]

simnettpratt..Nice Zippo.