S.S. Pierce Comoy's Pipe Stem Question

[retrogrouch]

I recently was lucky to win a pipe that was sold at the S.S. Pierce store that was made by Comoy's. It has the football/rugby Made in England stamp next to the Comoy's 409 shape number. The stem has a stinger similar to those that I have previously seen in Comoy's Everyman pipes. My question is to the stem material. It is not vulcanite. Any ideas what it might be?

 

[ssjones]

Comoy's 2nds line pipes used pre-molded stems. I believe they are vulcanite, but not of the same grade as a first line Comoy's. The 409 is definitely a Comoys product!
I wasn't familiar with S.S. Pierce stores, so I had to look that up, what an interesting history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.S._Pierce

 

[retrogrouch]

Thanks for the reply. This appears to be something different. The stem does not smell like sulfur when rubbed and is not oxidized at all. I am a bit stumped. It has some fills and the type of stinger suggests that this was not a first line product. Did Comoy's use any plastics during the war?

 

[dmcmtk]

It looks like vulcanite to me. Going by the COM mark, I'd say pre-war.

Did Comoy's use any plastics during the war?

Factory pipe production was very limited during the war. Shortage of briar supply, factories re-tooled towards the war effort, and with regards to vulcanite/rubber/plastics, the same.

 

[retrogrouch]

It is possible that it is vulcanite. I will have to watch how it oxidizes over time. Right now, it is not showing any oxidation or symptoms typical of a stem of this vintage. I am happy to have the pipe. It smokes very nicely.