Comoy’s (Pre-1980s) Tradition 430 Smooth Vase Zulu (Estate)

Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies.

The “Tradition” was one of Comoy’s flagship first-quality lines, with a name deliberately chosen to emphasize just how ingrained (excuse the pun) the Comoy’s name was within the history of the briar pipe. Though the Comoy’s make debuted in the later 19th century, by the time of the Tradition’s introduction in 1925, the Comoy family had already been making pipes for 100 years, with the line serving to commemorate that milestone.

This particular Tradition is certainly a beautiful pipe and, in keeping with its purpose, is a fitting tribute to the contributions of the Comoy family to pipe history. It’s also one of the strangest (and rarest, in my own experience) shapes to have featured in the Comoy’s standard catalog, taking the form of an unusually large, vase-like Zulu hybrid. Based on the three-part “C” stem inlay, this should be a pre-1980s make, i.e., a pre-Cagodan Investments merger production, from before the Comoy’s brand was consolidated with a number of other notable Anglo-French mainstays, so I’d wonder if it might have been introduced as part of the “Modern” shapes Comoy’s introduced around the midcentury, as a means of keeping up with the rapidly moving currents in pipe design.

The condition is very great. Some very slight inner rim darkening and minor residual oxidation on the mouthpiece, but the pipe is nonetheless remarkably preserved.

Details:

Length: 6.65″ / 168.9mm

Chamber Width: 0.82″ / 20.82mm

Chamber Depth: 1.73″ / 43.94mm

Bowl Height: 2.03″ / 51.56mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g