Comoy's Extraordinaire 235 & Kaywoodie 235 Uncle Paul

[buroak]

Dating Comoy's pipes is very often infuriating, especially when the "Comoy's" and COM stamps are at odds with one another. While I am far from expert at dating Comoy's pipes, I generally rely on the COM stamp rather than the font/format of the "Comoy's" stamp.
I should be better equipped to comment on the dating of the Kaywoodie Uncle Paul, but I really cannot offer anything in the way of an accurate date. The earliest English-made Kaywoodies appear to have been made by Civic. At some later date it seems English Kaywoodies picked up Comoy's shape numbers. Of course, Civic and Comoy's both wound up under the Oppenheimer/Cadogan umbrella.

 

[dmcmtk]

Dating Comoy's pipes is very often infuriating, especially when the "Comoy's" and COM stamps are at odds with one another....I generally rely on the COM stamp rather than the font/format of the "Comoy's" stamp.

I think I would have to agree with that.

 

[mawnansmiff]

That is a rather nice 235 SSJ though I feel that the grain on mine is markedly prettier but of course I would say that wouldn't I!
Interestingly, the final auction price of your pal's pipe is well below the lower limit price that Niell suggested to me regarding my own. I suppose I ought just bite the bullet & bung it on Ebay and see how it goes. At the end of the day it will surely fetch more than the £6:67p it cost me to buy. If I recall the Kaywoodie cost me close to £10.
I would still like to know if the Kaywoodie was or could have come from the same factory. It seems to be too much of a coincidence that they both share the same shape number.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Having looked (yet again) at the Pipedia Comoy's dating page I see contradictory Information regarding my stampings at least. It states that the Made In London England stamp (as per my pipe) dates from the 1950's export drive yet it also states that the curved Comoy's stamp (as per my pipe) dates from the 1940's when few (not none as Neill tells me) pipes were made.
I am wondering if my pipe was indeed made in the forties though stamped much later. Is this at all likely folks?
T'is a puzzle indeed.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ssjones]

I have a 498 Extraordinaire with the identical stamping. I assumed based on the mixed nomenclature that it was made in between eras, and perhaps in the late 1940's. Just post WWII, when manufacturing would have restarted,but before the 1940's change to the straight "Comoy's" stamp.
http://rebornpipes.com/2013/06/29/comoys-498-extraordinaire-restoration/

 

[mawnansmiff]

I have actually read that post on Steve's excellent site, in fact I am working my way through all posts there as I find them very informative though I do find Steve's poor spelling a tad annoying :wink:
Regards,
Jay.
PS: Who is this Jon Guss chap mentioned above? Is he a Comoy's/Kaywoodie expert?

 

[sablebrush52]

Jon Guss is a researcher into pipe history, easily the best one practicing today. He's published several informative and detailed monographs on pipes and tobaccos. Check out his articles in the Vintages section of Roan's "A Passion For Pipes" site.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Thank you for that info Sablebrush, also thanks for the link. I never realised that Neill Archer was actually Neill Roan. He along with Jon Guss seem to know their onions so perhaps I ought accept Neill's dating of my Comoy's as a 1960's pipe, what say you?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ssjones]

I post on Reborn under the name "upshallfan". I sure hope my spelling is correct! I usually check for that and I'll be embarrassed if I made any errors.

 

[sablebrush52]

Thank you for that info Sablebrush, also thanks for the link. I never realised that Neill Archer was actually Neill Roan. He along with Jon Guss seem to know their onions so perhaps I ought accept Neill's dating of my Comoy's as a 1960's pipe, what say you?

Jon's amazing. I'm no Comoy expert, but I would be inclined to accept Neill's assessment. He's a student of that marque.