London Made Special

[mawnansmiff]

I have many estate pipes that are simply stamped 'London Made' and a few marked 'London Made' with 'Special' beneath. I wonder if the latter might be made by Comoy's as the font looks suspiciously like the one they use on their pipes.
If this is the case, then how come they are not marked with one of the known seconds names that they used? The pipes in question would certainly be seconds as despite beautiful grain they do sport minor fills (good fills actually, not that nasty pink stuff).
Failing that can anyone out there suggest a possible maker?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mso489]

Boy, this whole seconds thing is a deep mystery. I've read that some "London Made" pipes aren't made there at all. As with many bluffs, the idea is, the less said the better. Of course all of my "Made in London" pipes were made right in the shadow of Big Ben. Uh-huh.

 

[dmcmtk]

Any shape numbers?

 

[mawnansmiff]

Hi Dave, below are three London Made Special pipes, a calabash, a pot and a blasted billiard. The first two are as they arrived yesterday, the third I worked on last month. As far as I recall there are no shape numbers stamped on the pipes.
Hopefully somebody might be able to pinpoint a manufacturer from the shapes alone. The calabash has some really gorgeous grain with very minor fills.

Regards,
Jay.

 

[samcoffeeman]

Those look like Charatans shapes. I just grabbed a lot with a few Charatans seconds and I think I may have a couple similar. I'll check it out at some point today. Most Copy's seconds still had shape numbers and the circular Made in London England.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Sam, these are all stamped 'London Made' in a straight line with 'Special' beneath also in a straight line.
Interestingly another estate bundle arrived today and amongst the lot is a lovely straight billiard stamped in the very same font but with 'Real Briar' stamped above the 'London Made' (no 'Special' stamp on this one). The first line is written in fractionally larger letters.
Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[papipeguy]

pipedia claims that London Made was a GBD second. So everybody is right.

 

[jensen]

Whether a pipe be stamped GDB or Real Briar,this implies a guarantee.Certainly GBD is among the aristocrats,limited in number,whilst the Real Briar family is of a more humble class of unlimited numbers,albeit of the same staunch material.The subtle difference is that GBD, or any other well known brand,does not need to point out that it is made of briar,whilst lower grades have to draw attention to this as a guarantee.This has caused such branding as Real Briar or Genuine Briar to designate low grade and cheapness.

J.W.Cole

 

[mawnansmiff]

Pap, it actually states "London Made GBD second choice brand, also used by other English companies."
Jensen, yet another fascinating snippet you have come up with, well done! I often wondered why some folk used 'Real Briar', it's not as though there is an imitation briar.
Many thanks chaps.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jensen]

Well, stamping on the english rejects is like the wind blow.
I have here a rather large billiard saddle,nice bowl and nice shaped and stamped London Made over Special.

And then,as they were to be sold here (on the name) they placed another stamp ORLIK above. So the tobacconist

could write: Orlik seconds kr. 125
I have another here stamped Comoy

<br />
<pre><code>o

s stamp is to get it sold here in Danmark

 

[jensen]

Try once more:

I have another here stamped Comoy

<br />
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s stamp was added to have

it sold here in Danmark.

 

[jensen]

No more trying,.........but it was about one stamped Comoy`s over London made in straight lines.

Same conclusion as above

 

[mawnansmiff]

Jorgen if you wish to PM me your e-mail address then I will be happy to post your images for you.
Interesting that Comoy's is mentioned. Below is a picture of a Comoy's pipe from a christmas set posted on an earlier thread and I reckon it is a mirror twin to the calabash shape I have. The only major difference is mine has a saddle stem as opposed to a taper. I have by the way since worked on the pipe (but not the stem) and it has some glorious grain.
Comoy's calabash shape...

My calabash shape...

So could my London Made Special be another Comoy's pipe?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ssjones]

Typically Comoys pipes branded otherwise (Disney, etc.) still have the shape number and COM stamps. The Comoys calabash I believe is shape 225 (not seen often!).

 

[jensen]

Thank you Jay............just try once more now an see if it works.

Yes a taper is shape 225 so maybe saddle 224..........large bents are 214 taper and 215 saddle.
And just a few words to see if it works:

I have been looking in Comoys pipe compendium
Jørgen

 

[jensen]

Well, seems as nothing wrong today

 

[jensen]

Jensen,you are a clovn. 214 taper,215 saddle and 225 taper.......right,yes.

And calabash saddle.........who knows ?