Gresham Giants (by Comoy’s) 127 Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

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.

Just like its 20th century contemporaries, such as Dunhill or Sasieni, Comoy’s had exacting standards for their pipes, meaning that they had a number of sub-brands for pipes with even the slightest cosmetic imperfections. Like Sasieni and its Old England or Mayfair pipes, Comoy’s sub-brands have since become famous in their own right for being excellent pipes in their own right. Pipes such as the Academy Award, or even the distinctly affordable Everyman, are capable of putting many of today’s main-brand pipes to shame.
“Gresham Giant”—or, elsewhere, “Gresham Giants”—appears to have been a sub-brand for Comoy’s pipes that would otherwise have made it into the Extraordinaire line, the latter being used for pipes of superior graining and/or inordinate size.

In the case of this one, I imagine it would have been a little of both. The Comoy’s shape 127, of which this is essentially an example, was a distinctly large billiard rendition—close to a Dunhill ODA, in fact—in the make’s catalog, especially next to its more traditionally proportioned designs. As such, it was most typically used for the Extraordinaire line when made under the Comoy’s name and, consequently, as a Gresham Giant if it was sold under a sub-brand.

The condition is good. Some wear to the rim and a couple of small, worn out fills.

Details:

Length: 6.3″ / 160.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.70″ / 43.18mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 54g