English Estates: The Mansion House Sandblasted Billiard (185) (by Comoy's) Tobacco Pipe

Progressing from boxwood to briar, the history of Comoy's pipe making is characterized by its strong familial ties. The marque's founder, Henri Comoy, took after his father Francois. Francois started fashioning pipes with his brothers in Saint Claude out of more rudimentary materials until he and his son Louis discovered the benefits of briar. In 1879, Henri brought his skills to London, where he would set up a factory and serve as a key figure in English pipe making while working alongside his sons and nephews. This "185" Billiard was made for The Mansion House, a Comoy's seconnds brand, and it exudes a timeless appeal with its well-measured design. The bowl stands pert and upright, formed by straight walls rising from heel to rim. A proportionally balanced shank transitions from the bowl and pairs to a gradually tapering stem of jet-black vulcanite. Dressing the stummel is a rugged, hickory-hued sandblast that draws out rippling growth rings across the left flank.