Henri Comoy had served in the French army during the 1870/71 Franco-Prussian War and was interned with the remnants of the army of the General Bourbaki in Switzerland. To pass the time away, he made Pipes. He later spent three years in Belgium, also making pipes before going to England. He was one of the prime movers in the establishment of the briar pipe trade in London and is credited with being the 'author' of the appellation "London Made". Helped at first by his brothers, he was later joined, around 1891, by two of his nephews, Lois and Charles Chapuis who came from Switzerland. By that time, the Comoy factory was well estblished in Newcastle Place, Clarkenwell, although soon after, a new factory was built on Rosebury Avenue. Before the 1914/18 war, Hen Comoy was also joined by his sons, Adrien and Paul. From the start, Henry Comoy was proud to stamp his name on his pipes.