Hi Jim,
The following excerpt from a seller's description made me smile for it's understatement.
The country of manufacture stamping is “MADE IN ENGLAND.” with a period at the end, and it’s an EXEL size. It includes the TVF stamp, which means The Very Finest, and these early ones that had the stamp had it for a reason, they were above average.
A bit like saying that the Yankees run of World Series titles was above average. Can't say that this seller was making an overstatement.
TVF of course was a self made appellation but in their case it was usually just modest self acknowledgement.
Here's a link to the pipe referenced above.
Barling Pre-Transition Quaint
Pete