The Exmoor (Comoy's) Shape 283 Rhodesian

[ssjones]

I haven't added a pipe to my collection in a while, so opening this gift from my buddy Dave Jacobsen really put a smile on my face. This gem is an "The Exmoor" in shape 283.
I found almost nothing on "The Exmoor" pipe brand. While certainly made by Comoy's, I'm not sure if it is a 2nd's line, like "The Guildhall", etc. or a shop pipe.
The 283 shape was one on my Holy Grail list, that had sort of been filled. I say "sort of" because I do have the shape 440. In the late 40's, with the change to the round "Made In London, England" COM, the shape number was inexplicably changed to 440. Many Comoy's 2nd line pipes have lower quality, plasticky stems. This one has a very Comoy's like stem and button. The original stinger apparatus is also included.
If anyone has any anecdotal information on "The Exmoor" pipes, I'm interested!











For comparison, my 440 Tradition and Jack Howell "Passion for Pipes" homage.

 

[lightmybriar]

WOW those are beautiful! Congratulations on the acquisition of a Grail Pipe.

 

[irishearl]

That is a grand shape Al. Don't own a bullcap but they are tempting.

 

[dmcmtk]

Seems it was a pre-war Comoy's line. Happy to see that 283 ended up with you Al. I low balled the BIN, and then it was sold! I had just recently bought this one, The Exmoor Pipe, shape 229.

 

[doctorbob]

What a wonderful pipe! Now you can sell the 440 to prevent unnecessary congestion of your collection (cough, cough).
doc

 

[ssjones]

@doctorbob - I've sold duplicates of some pristine examples (I'll smoke the ones that aren't mint, but tend to not use those that are mint and valuable). But I'll hang onto that 440 for a while longer...
@dmcmtk: That's a great 229, a Comoy's shape yet to grace my collection or work bench. Did you ever find out anything about the Exmoor brand? I was surprised about how little references came up via Google. My buddy Dave J won this one, and gifted it to me.

 

[jguss]

Al,
I know very little about the Exmoor, but can tell you two things. First, the Exmoor was introduced quite a long time ago and apparently had a fair bit of longevity; it appears in various trade directories of brands from the early 1920s through the very late 1950s. Second, it was priced around the mid to lower end of the ordinary line of Comoys. An ad in 1930, for example, prices it at 7/5; the same ad priced the Par Excellence at 12/6, the Norfolk at 10/6, and the Everyman at 5/-. Looking at price lists published in Tobacco World's annual booklet, the Exmoor only appeared once in the issues I have access to, in 1938. In that year it was priced at 6/6. Above it were nine other models (ranging from 7/6 to 21/-), below it were eight models (ranging from 2/6 to 5/6).
My offhand guess would be that your specimen (which is a beauty, by the way!) dates from the 1930s.
Jon

 

[ssjones]

Thanks Jon, I thought perhaps you might had had some background.

Second, it was priced around the mid to lower end of the ordinary line of Comoys.

As you can see from the pictures, this one has some fills and flaws, so being a bit lower than a Comoy's makes sense. By the pricing examples, the earlier examples may have used slightly better quality briar than in the proceeding years.

 

[dmcmtk]

And more Exmoor,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exmoor

 

[snagstangl]

I can't find anything either. The stinger is on a number of pipes sold by wally frank, it is shown in catalogs I have seen.

 

[ssjones]

I suspected that Exmoor was a phyical location in the UK, thanks Dave! Sounds pretty desolate, but I'd like to see the Exmoor Beast, seemingly their version of Big Foot.

 

[docwatson]

Nice looking briar Al. Loved the research done by Jon Guss as usual. If you need any info on obscure tobaccianna Jon's the go to guy for sure. I've owned several Exmoor pipes, none without fills and consider them a second line of Comoy. Still some great smokers though. Cheers.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Love that old school shape,very nice indeed.