Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes

[sablebrush52]

Here's another auction that resulted in a pretty substantial price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BARLING-039-S-MAKE-EBWB-SILVER-SPIGOT-CASED-PIPE-/372235735974?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=X9i2%252BTagWfuB4lLzVcAUV%252BpJQN0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Condition is excellent. I was thinking it might go for @ $700 as spigots get more money.
The bid history is a little strange.

 

[beefeater33]

^^ So what will the maiden smoke be, Jesse? Nice score!

 

[sablebrush52]

So what will the maiden smoke be, Jesse? Nice score!

I wish. I think my days of acquisition are behind me. But prices like this make me look fondly at my collection.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Re: the bid history on the Barling spigot, now THAT is a whacked bid history!
The guy that bid $1219 has a history of retracting bids, no history of bidding on pipes. If he retracted his bid, surely the buyer doesn't have to pay over that bid?

 

[ssjones]

This was advertised as a 1904 Comoy's. I'd love to see the button shape, but it wasn't shown. Is there anything about this one that says 1904?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/COLLECTOR-AUCTION-1904-COMOYS-LONDON-MADE-WITHOUT-LOGO-WITH-CASE-IN-BEST-CONDI/132531645348?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[cigrmaster]

Al, it says it on the internet so it has to be the truth. It got a lot of bids so maybe someone knew it was legit?
This auction was interesting as it was a nice set of pipes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DUNHILL-BRUYERE-MATCHED-GRAIN-PIPE-SET-LACQUERED-INLAID-CASE-UNSMOKED-1995/382397299087?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[dmcmtk]

This was advertised as a 1904 Comoy's. I'd love to see the button shape, but it wasn't shown. Is there anything about this one that says 1904?

No.
From Derek Green,



"Comoy’s Name
1900 to about 1919. Normally, the Comoy’s name will be found in a joined flowing script canted forward, with a long tail running backwards from under the “S” to below the “C.” There are, however, 2 pipes in the 1909 catalogue where Comoy’s does not have a tail at all. I also have examples between 1913 to 1919 where the Comoy’s name is still in the same joined flowing script, canted forward but with a short tail running forwards from the bottom of the “Y” to under the “S.”
From about 1917 to the end of the 1930s, the slightly fancy “Comoy’s” can be found stamped in a curve, in upper case script with serifs, apostrophe before the “S,” and the “C” larger than the other letters."

 

[bluegrassbrian]

And that Comoys sold for $405.

Pretty case anyway.

 

[buroak]

Here's another auction that resulted in a pretty substantial price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BARLING-039-S-MAKE-EBWB-SILVER-SPIGOT-CASED-PIPE-/372235735974?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=X9i2%252BTagWfuB4lLzVcAUV%252BpJQN0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I mostly have a reflexive revulsion to Barling spigots at this point. Perhaps that theft will save me in the long run.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm no expert on Comoy pipes, but there are elements that scream early, and elements that suggest not as early as 1904. The shaping of the bowl and the type of lettering used for the case suggest early. The arched Comoy shank logo suggests probably later than 1904. It just so happens that I have a complete copy of Comoy's 1909 catalog, one of 4 Comoy catalogs that I received, spanning from 1909 to 1978. The shank logo all but two pipes in the 1909 catalog uses a swash "s" with the swash flowing below the rest of the letters, stopping under the first "o" in Comoy's. The curved shank logo we see on this pipe was used later, as early as 1917 and possibly as late as just after WW2, according to the dating guide on Pipedia. Without a hallmark there's no way to affix a year to the pipe but based on the nomenclature and the lack of a "C" on the shank, the pipe probably dates to somewhere between 1917 and the early 1920's.

 

[buroak]

Sounds like the guesswork around Comoy's dating is beginning to be more educated guesswork.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I mostly have a reflexive revulsion to Barling spigots at this point. Perhaps that theft will save me in the long run.

Could it have been the four way overexposed photos of that spigot?

 

[georged]

That Treasurepipe guy's got nothing on me... here's a pic of my latest 1931 LC:
.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Looks a little bit over done, but you can fix it in post!

 

[dmcmtk]

Without a hallmark there's no way to affix a year to the pipe but based on the nomenclature and the lack of a "C" on the shank, the pipe probably dates to somewhere between 1917 and the early 1920's.

Jesse, this sounds more likely. The oldest Comoy's I have is a Prima, hallmarked to 1913. Script Comoy's mark, no C on the stem.
The description in the listing is a cut and paste job.

 

[ssjones]

I thought that was wishful thinking on the sellers part for the cased Comoy's...

 

[sablebrush52]

I thought that was wishful thinking on the sellers part for the cased Comoy's...

Whenever someone gives a precise year for an unhallmarked pipe, with no other ephemera that directly support a precise dating, you can bet that he's blowing smoke.
BTW, the lack of sterling bling on a cased pipe also argues for a later dating. Bling was everywhere at the top end prior to WW1. Later, it became less the fashion.

 

[cigrmaster]

I was watching this new Upshall to see what it might go off at. It is a pretty pipe and I have not seen many E grades. I didn't predict it would go this high.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAMES-UPSHALL-E-STRAIGHT-GRAIN-PIPE-UNSMOKED/372248217547?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[jpmcwjr]

$760....

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Out of my reach, but if I could still afford to play in that park I would have paid it.