This is only the second “Patina” grade that I’ve encountered since 11 years previous. I don’t find the Patina listed anywhere in any of the Comoy’s catalogs that I’ve seen. The COM stamp and 3 piece “C” stem logo date it from the late 1940’s to the 1981 merger. The pipe was very lightly smoked and it looked like it would be an easy restoration. The Below is the pipe as it was received.
The Shape 9 has been seen several times on this blog. Below is a catalog shot, from one of Steve Laug’s restoration of this shape.
When I first published this entry, I knew very little about the “Patina” grade. I posed the blog article to the Restoration section of the PipesMagazine.com forum. Forum member and noted tobacciana historian, Jon Guss replied and provided some additional information about the Patina grade. He shared the information below, and price list, from a 1975 catalog.
Hi Al, I can tell you a little about the Patina but only a very little. It was in the middle to lower tier of Comoy’s branded models, introduced in 1973 and withdrawn in the early Eighties. There are a number of 1970s Comoy catalogs floating around and anyone who has one (I don’t) can transcribe the entire copy for you. I’m pretty sure advertisements and/or catalogs referred to the briar as “specially selected” and “aged”, and to the “reddish walnut color” stain as a special selling feature (hence Patina). At least one ad labeled the pipe as “moderate in price, exceptional in looks”. In 1975 the Patina was retailing at $12.50. Cheers, Jon
I reamed the very slight cake, and the bowl was soaked with Sea salt and alcohol. I used a bristle brush dipped in alcohol to scrub the interior of the shank. I used some micromesh to remove the darkening of the rim. The stem was mounted, and the bowl was buffed lightly with White Diamond and several coats of Carnuba wax.
With the stem mounted, I removed the oxidation with 800, 1,500, and 2,000 grade wet sandpaper. That was followed by 8,000 and 12,000 micromesh sheets. The stem was then buffed with White Diamond and Meguiars plastic polish.
rebornpipes 