My New (Old) Town Hall Briar Billiard Pipe

[huntertrw]

Recently I purchased from eBay seller thesecondhandsmoker (Gary Malmberg) the estate Town Hall briar billiard pipe shown in the image below. I know that Town Hall was a marque used by Comoy's for their seconds, but I this is the first that I have ever seen or owned.
I do not see why this pipe was classified as a second, as I can find no fills nor sand-pits, and the drilling appears to be spot on. Further, it has a beautiful combination of flame and birds-eye grain.
Do any of you have a Town Hall pipe, and, if so, how do they smoke? Please let me know.

 

[ejames]

Never owned a Town Hall but I like the long shank and stem on that one.

 

[huntertrw]

I bought this pipe based upon my positive experiences with Comoy's The Guildhall and The Everyman pipes (I have two of the former, and one of the latter). For seconds, they are all great smokers.
The Town Hall pipe is surprisingly light, and I believe that it, too, will live up to its Comoy's heritage. Right now it's undergoing a thorough cleaning, and then the salt-and-alcohol treatment. I am looking forward to baptizing it with fire and some Edgeworth Ready-Rubbed.

 

[scrooge]

Hunter May I ask a question, Is the sterling band smaller then the shank an stem. If so that may be the reason for calling it a second. Not sure from the picture or is it is a optical effect.

 

[huntertrw]

Scrooge:
The sterling silver band was apparently added after the pipe was manufactured (although I cannot see a crack or other obvious defect), as it carries a maker's mark featuring the initials MP inside of a diamond. The band is ever so slightly larger than the pipe's shank, so what you see in the image is an optical illusion.

 

[snagstangl]

I think it was not a second as much as line of pipes like the guildhall or everyman. The line was listed in the first half 1900's and then it stopped somewhere in the middle as far as I can remember. I have one but i never cleaned it up and smoked it.

 

[paulfg]

heres mine I would be interested in its date.you can just see comoys stamped under the town hall stamping,so it looks as though it was destined to be a comoys and then downgraded at the last minute.It smokes very well

 

[mawnansmiff]

I have many 'seconds' pipes that are perfectly made and have stunning grain. No rhyme nor reason why so many pipes are regarded as such.
I have a gorgeous & perfectly formed Barling brandy TVF pipe that is stamped '2nd' underneath. So something of a dichotomy, on the one hand 'the very finest' and the other 'second' :crazy:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[pagan]

Don't know about Town Hall pipes but my Everyman (Camoys) pipe smokes great

 

[mso489]

Love those trim straight English billiards. They have great presence without being the least bit showy. They are the emblem of the experienced pipe smoker.