Old Port X'd out Avante-Garde London/St. Claude 779 Pipe

This fascinating Old Port Avant-Garde London/St. Claude shape 779 pipe tells a unique story that immediately catches the eye of vintage pipe collectors. The pipe features a rugged, deeply textured rusticated finish across a classic Billiard profile, paired with a sleek, black saddle stem.

The most intriguing aspect of this estate piece is the crossed-out factory stamping on the shank, a practice with a long and practical history in the pipe manufacturing world. In the mid-to-late 20th century, prominent blending and making houses—such as Comoy’s, who produced the Old Port line with its distinctive Anglo-French "London/St. Claude" connection—maintained exceptionally high quality control standards. If a briar bowl developed a minor cosmetic surface flaw late in production, or if an overstock situation occurred for a specific regional market, the factory would strike through or "X out" the original brand stampings. This allowed the factory to sell a completely sound, high-grade smoking instrument as a factory second without undermining the premium pricing of their primary retail lines. For the modern enthusiast, this means you are getting a pipe with the precise internal mechanics and high-quality wood of an upscale maker, packed with historical character.

The smooth, polished rim contrasts beautifully with the deep crags of the bowl's rustication, offering a very tactile and comfortable grip.

The physical dimensions for this unique estate piece are:

Overall Length: 5.5 inches

Chamber Diameter: 0.9 inches

Chamber Deep: 1.4 inches

With a wide 0.9-inch chamber diameter and a slightly shallower 1.4-inch depth, this pipe is an absolute dream for broad-cut flakes, plug tobaccos, or complex Latakia blends that require a wider surface area to fully develop their flavor layers. Cleaned, fully restored, and boasting a fantastic story stamped right into the briar, this Old Port is ready to bring its avant-garde history directly to your rotation.