This Comoy Has An Extra Letter Stamped On It...

[pappymac]

Working on restoring a Comoy's Extraordinaire 309XL and as I was cleaning the briar I found a stamp I didn't notice earlier.
What is the significance of the "W" stamped on the bottom of the shank near the mortise?

 

[BROBS]

not sure ... I have seen a lot of British pipes that have a letter by the stem.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It means you “WIN...”

an extra letter.

 

[BROBS]

It’s a “W” grade for the “worst” better send it this way.

 

[jensen]

Production code. I first saw that in 1980 on a Orlik turned bowl that went into a BBB Neptune. I have other Cadogan pipes with such a stamp. BBB, Comoy, Everyman, Civic. All from after 1980 when the Orlik brothers sold the factory to Cadogan.

 

[pappymac]

It means you “WIN...”

an extra letter.

I come here for your Cosmic relief.

 

[pappymac]

Production code. I first saw that in 1980 on a Orlik turned bowl that went into a BBB Neptune. I have other Cadogan pipes with such a stamp. BBB, Comoy, Everyman, Civic. All from after 1980 when the Orlik brothers sold the factory to Cadogan.

Thank you. I have four estate Comoy's I'm restoring for possible resale. I'll have to check the briar on them carefully when I get to the other three.

 

[SpookedPiper]

I think it's an "M" for medium sized bowl or length?

 

[donjgiles]

Do you have a photo of the C stem logo?

 

[pappymac]

Do you have a photo of the C stem logo?

 

[donjgiles]

Yes, I believe that is post merger from the 1980's or later. Looks like beautiful grain and a very cool pipe!

 

[ssjones]

I believe a post-merger Extraordinaire would be quite extra-ordinary!

 

[rushx9]

My grandpa's Straw Matt 17 has a K stamped on the back just below the stem shank junction.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Stamping is so odd. I have a Barling with a random ass B stamped at the bowl end of the shank. Not even sable knows wtf it means.

 

[BROBS]

BARLING

 

[BROBS]

Your welcome ?

 

[alaskanpiper]

BARLING

Haha, I think they covered that with the bigass script on the other side.

 

[jensen]

I have a few here all from after 1980 : Civic deluxe J. Loewe original G, BBB Silver grain also G, BBB Perfect Make E, Comoys London Pride R, BBB Neptune M,

 

[mikethompson]

Stamping is certainly something that doesn't seem to be consistent with pipes. It makes dating them to a specific year a little tricky I found.

 

[ssjones]

One thing that is consistent in the Cadogan era for Comoy's and GBD - they each had many oddities, that weren't recorded anywhere. All kinds of different finish lines pop up, also not detailed in any catalogs, etc.