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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2018 22:19:04 GMT -5
This is an Extraordinaire from the 1930s for which I bid on in ebay. The photos show a pipe in good condition. The chamber rim looks fine and the stem shows no over-grinding to polish off any bite marks. All of this speaks to me of a problem-free restoration, no angst there. But even after snagging one fine Grand Slam dated circa 1938, which was in excellent condition, I never cease to marvel that some past owners took such good care of pipes for such a long time. I hope that I don't come across as too naive, but I don't think I'll be disappointed in this pot shape either and that I caught lightning in a bottle for the second time. I got it for a reasonable (to me at least) bid. Maybe Thanksgiving eve proved a good time to bid. I've seen Extraordinaires go for much, much more than $190. Any opinions? Not looking for compliments, just the honest, unvarnished opinion of the knowledgeable, of which there are many amongst you. No buyer's remorse here, as I love Comoys as great smokers primarily, just curious.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2018 22:25:37 GMT -5
That is a stunning Extraordinaire, I’ve seen them sell much higher then the quality piece you won for $190.00👍👍. All the pictures are clear, the pipe is in excellent condition and the rim does not look topped. Just a superb clean restoration.
May it give you many happy years of smoking pleasure!!!
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Post by mwps70 on Nov 21, 2018 22:27:43 GMT -5
Looks like a great pipe. I am really liking the pot shape and that is one beaut!
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Post by Dramatwist on Nov 21, 2018 22:35:05 GMT -5
I am a Comoy's aficionado, and I probably wouldn't have paid that much, but that's a personal call, and I wish you happy smokes with it. It IS a beautiful pipe.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2018 22:46:54 GMT -5
Thanks for your replies. I have more estate Comoys than any other estate pipe brand, and I have many estate pipes. A year ago I saw another 1930s Extraordinaire go for a $900 bid and I passed on it much earlier in the bidding process because the photos clearly showed over-polishing to efface bite marks and other issues. Basically I asked because knowing the value of 1930s Extraordinaires in the estate pipe market, I couldn't believe my luck. Now I do. Thanks again Lonecoyote and the rest. Btw, mwps70, my favorite estate shapes are canadians, billiards and pots (including pot-billiards).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 0:12:20 GMT -5
That is one beautiful looking pot brother. Enjoy!
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Post by trailboss on Nov 22, 2018 0:27:35 GMT -5
That pipe could have been smoked like a freight train for thirty years, tooth chatter that looked like the guy smoked outside in the winter in his underwear, but in the hands of Dave or Piffy, it would look like the one in the picture post restoration.  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 0:47:20 GMT -5
That pipe could have been smoked like a freight train for thirty years, tooth chatter that looked like the guy smoked outside in the winter in his underwear, but in the hands of Dave or Piffy, it would look like the one in the picture post restoration. Marvelous restoration skills indeed, if that smooth chamber, with no sign of reduction of the chamber walls was repaired so cleanly. Or that the stem if it had heavy chattering was not buffed to a paper thin bit area. They indeed must be geniuses. |
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Post by trailboss on Nov 22, 2018 13:18:55 GMT -5
I wasn't knocking the pipe, it is definitely a nice well cared for quality briar...just a side comment on how there are so many estates that may fly under the radar, that in the right hands can be quite transformational...and as many often say, probably better looking than when it left the factory.
Since the Comoy pipe scratches that itch, a well smoked pipe....was well smoked for a reason.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 13:24:08 GMT -5
What's not to like the pipe appears new and new pipe is about the same price.
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Post by Legend Lover on Nov 22, 2018 13:39:41 GMT -5
That is an extraordinary pipe. Well done for getting it at such a good price. Maybe it was in someone's collection of many other pipes and therefore wasn't used much.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 13:50:40 GMT -5
That is an extraordinary pipe. Well done for getting it at such a good price. Maybe it was in someone's collection of many other pipes and therefore wasn't used much. That's what my friend "Tashkent", who happens to be a very knowledgeable collector of top tier Comoys wrote to me. He too has seen many of the same era and model, even some with issues, that went for a much higher price. Still smh, given what I know of the market. |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Nov 22, 2018 16:02:56 GMT -5
Can't beat an early Comoy! They were and are a great looking/smoking pipe. Love the 2 that I have left...but they will be going to my good friend when I am ready to part with them.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2018 11:12:25 GMT -5
![]() Well, it arrived today early in the morning via USPS. Weird - really early in this chilly morning. Had to slice open the parcel inside the mailbox as it was too large for the mailbox front. Hard to believe that there were any Comoy smokers back in the 30s who were big enough to lug around this large piece of timber. I don't think $190 with shipping is a bad deal for this puffer. I've got many Comoys but this is the largest one yet. I have a new photo but for some reason, the link will not upload to this post. Will try later. ![]() ![]() |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Nov 28, 2018 21:17:49 GMT -5
Fine looking Comoy...I've seen a number of Extraordinaire pipes...my mentor back in the 60's had a number of them...he was 6'5" and needed a big pipe...those were his choice out of all the pipes he could have had as he owned the pipe shop.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2018 22:05:15 GMT -5
Upon closer inspection I found repair work that was obviously done on the pipe. Bummer. See attachment. Three wooden-looking "hair plugs" clumsily designed to cover who knows what. Hot spots that burned right through the briar? I messaged the seller via ebay. I need to return it. When something seems too good to be true.... A lesson for all of us, so I'm sharing this too. The arrows point the spots.  |
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Post by beardedmi on Nov 28, 2018 22:47:37 GMT -5
Upon closer inspection I found repair work that was obviously done on the pipe. Bummer. See attachment. Three wooden-looking "hair plugs" clumsily designed to cover who knows what. Hot spots that burned right through the briar? I messaged the seller via ebay. I need to return it. When something seems too good to be true.... A lesson for all of us, so I'm sharing this too. The arrows point the spots. I've had many dealings with Chance, and its always been top notch. I would ask him about the spots, as he restores them before selling them. This guy will take care of ya, hes one of the ones I dont hesitate buying from. |
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Post by daveinlax on Nov 28, 2018 23:31:12 GMT -5
Upon closer inspection I found repair work that was obviously done on the pipe. Bummer. See attachment. Three wooden-looking "hair plugs" clumsily designed to cover who knows what. Hot spots that burned right through the briar? I messaged the seller via ebay. I need to return it. When something seems too good to be true.... A lesson for all of us, so I'm sharing this too. The arrows point the spots. I've had many dealings with Chance, and its always been top notch. I would ask him about the spots, as he restores them before selling them. This guy will take care of ya, hes one of the ones I dont hesitate buying from. That's disappointing! He had a few 400's in Vegas and they all looked restained and "to good to be true". I like the guy but I would hesitate buying from him or anyone who says they've "restored" a pipe. I've bought a couple of pipes knowing full well they had been restained. One, I asked him about a week or so later at a show and he denied restaining it so I figured his wife did it. I've been collecting the brand/shape so I know these pipe like few do but the pipe was a close to perfect example of the shape, "like new" and the price was very low. 
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 1:03:13 GMT -5
Upon closer inspection I found repair work that was obviously done on the pipe. Bummer. See attachment. Three wooden-looking "hair plugs" clumsily designed to cover who knows what. Hot spots that burned right through the briar? I messaged the seller via ebay. I need to return it. When something seems too good to be true.... A lesson for all of us, so I'm sharing this too. The arrows point the spots. I've had many dealings with Chance, and its always been top notch. I would ask him about the spots, as he restores them before selling them. This guy will take care of ya, hes one of the ones I dont hesitate buying from. I'm aware of his sterling reputation and I'm sure we'll get the matter properly resolved. It seems to be just one of those things. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 1:10:18 GMT -5
I've had many dealings with Chance, and its always been top notch. I would ask him about the spots, as he restores them before selling them. This guy will take care of ya, hes one of the ones I dont hesitate buying from. That's disappointing! He had a few 400's in Vegas and they all looked restained and "to good to be true". I like the guy but I would hesitate buying from him or anyone who says they've "restored" a pipe. I've bought a couple of pipes knowing full well they had been restained. One, I asked him about a week or so later at a show and he denied restaining it so I figured his wife did it. I've been collecting the brand/shape so I know these pipe like few do but the pipe was a close to perfect example of the shape, "like new" and the price was very low.
I don't mind clean restoration. But the issue here is more serious, I think, than restoration or restaining per se. Those three Frankenstein studs seem suspiciously like a clumsy attempt at repairing hot spots that burned right through the briar. I'm confident that this will be made right. |
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Post by Legend Lover on Nov 29, 2018 8:35:03 GMT -5
I'm sorry to hear that, @irminsul. It really takes the shine off the purchase.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 12:34:14 GMT -5
I'm sorry to hear that, @irminsul . It really takes the shine off the purchase. It does indeed. I'd been lucky with all my many purchases over many years, thus far. Many online buyers have unfortunately had to go through this experience as one time or another. But I'm confident in the ebay policy and the honesty of the seller. Everyone makes mistakes, and this one could be easily corrected. |
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Post by doctorbob on Dec 2, 2018 14:35:45 GMT -5
So two odd things for my first post:
1. I was the runner up bidder on that auction, it was a throwaway bid and I was very surprised at the hammer price.
2. I have seen those 'plug patches' exactly once before, also on a Comoy's pipe. A 'lumberman deLuxe' 309XXL. It was the only flaw on the pipe, and I assume it was the reason the pipe was downgraded into a second. That pipe also has some indications of restaining. I purchased the pipe from Nathan Mattia back when he still sold pipes, and know he didn't put the plug in. I always assumed it was a strange factory plug.
I still own the pipe and will try to get a picture of it, but it looks EXACTLY like yours.
Since these are both comoy pipes I wonder if it was a factory patch. I haven't seen anything else like it.
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Post by Legend Lover on Dec 2, 2018 14:39:28 GMT -5
So two odd things for my first post: 1. I was the runner up bidder on that auction, it was a throwaway bid and I was very surprised at the hammer price. 2. I have seen those 'plug patches' exactly once before, also on a Comoy's pipe. A 'lumberman deLuxe' 309XXL. It was the only flaw on the pipe, and I assume it was the reason the pipe was downgraded into a second. That pipe also has some indications of restaining. I purchased the pipe from Nathan Mattia back when he still sold pipes, and know he didn't put the plug in. I always assumed it was a strange factory plug. I still own the pipe and will try to get a picture of it, but it looks EXACTLY like yours. Since these are both comoy pipes I wonder if it was a factory patch. I haven't seen anything else like it. Welcome to the forum. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 19:50:28 GMT -5
So two odd things for my first post: 1. I was the runner up bidder on that auction, it was a throwaway bid and I was very surprised at the hammer price. 2. I have seen those 'plug patches' exactly once before, also on a Comoy's pipe. A 'lumberman deLuxe' 309XXL. It was the only flaw on the pipe, and I assume it was the reason the pipe was downgraded into a second. That pipe also has some indications of restaining. I purchased the pipe from Nathan Mattia back when he still sold pipes, and know he didn't put the plug in. I always assumed it was a strange factory plug. I still own the pipe and will try to get a picture of it, but it looks EXACTLY like yours. Since these are both comoy pipes I wonder if it was a factory patch. I haven't seen anything else like it. The symmetry (for want of a better word) of the three lined-up holes suggests to me that they might have been drilled so the pipe could be attached to a display stand at b&m pipe seller store. But really, who knows. I'm pretty sure it was not a factory repair. |
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Post by trailboss on Dec 2, 2018 20:12:23 GMT -5
I am sorry to hear that it turned out this way, what a bummer. It is sad that the picture you took wasn’t shown in the ebay listing, it is too obvious not to post, and could have avoided shipping it back and forth.
I bid on a pipe from an individual when I first started out, he left out the cracked bowl image. In that case I protested to EBay and they forced him to pay me back... not equating him with this seller.
Sablebrush posted a pretty good primer recently about what to look and ask for regarding Ebay sales, I sure wish I had it when I started out.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Dec 2, 2018 20:26:25 GMT -5
I would bet whatever I had to bet, that those holes are not factory fixed. Comoy did not put a C on their stems when it had an issue of any type. The C was a garontee, as oldcajun123 would say, that the wood was flaw free...period. You could take it to the bank on that.
So...it appears that someone patched it for whatever reason and you should not bear the brunt of a f**k up...period. I would contact the seller and demand my money back. That patch is atrocious...I wouldn't stand for that.
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Post by trailboss on Dec 2, 2018 20:31:22 GMT -5
Sounds perfectly plausible, it certainly doesn’t look like a burnout repair.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Dec 2, 2018 21:43:11 GMT -5
But, why would they display it by mounting it on a board with a hole through the bowl...never seen one in any pipe shop displayed like that...course I haven't been in every pipe shop, but still...and through the bottom??? and so many holes, too...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 22:21:43 GMT -5
Who knows folks. The seller admitted that he missed the holes upon his initial inspection and I believe him. As I wrote before, he wrote that he will accept the return. It's been a good lesson for both him and me.
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