Vintage Bagpipe Archive

Lawrie, Circa 1920s, in Ebony, Nickel

SOLD – Lawrie drones of this ilk in ebony may be one of the most common vintage pipes available today, though it is uncommon to find one so free of major faults. They were likely made in the 1920s, though this dating could vary by a decade either way. The bells, cord guides, projecting mounts and tapered nickel ferrules are classic Lawrie.

This set has been refinished and there is invisible whipping beneath the top three combs of the bass drone stock. A couple of the ferrule tenons showed some slight checking, so these were whipped under the ferrules and will cause no problems. Blackwood hemp stops were added to all four tuning pins giving them a big Henderson/Lawrie wall of sound. The ebony material provides a level of steadiness and richness unequaled by blackwood of the same era.

R. G. Lawrie, Ebony, Engraved Silver and Ivory, Hallmarked 1914

SOLD – This is a stunning set of ebony Lawries from the midst of John MacColl’s career with the company. It displays the classic tapered ferrules and shallow bells typical of the make. They are extremely full, rich and steady.

The previous owner was playing the pipes with hairline cracks in the bass stock, one tenor stock and the bass middle joint — not unusual for ebony pipes of this age. These have been invisible whipped to eliminate future problems.

The R. G. Lawrie company was certainly the equal of Peter Henderson in both tonal and manufacturing quality during the early part of the century. The internal specs of their pipes were virtually identical, they jobbed out to one another, and they shared some of the same turners. Tonally, their pipes are identical, with a big, rich tone and tremendous steadiness.

The number of top players who have won premier prizes with classic Lawries or Hendersons is remarkable.

This set has been refinished.

Lawries, Circa 1930s, Ebony, Nickel, Imitation Ivory

SOLD – Here is a very affordable but excellent Lawrie set in ebony, likely made in the 1930s.

It is mounted mostly in nickel, with ebony projecting mounts. The bushes are celluloid, the rest of the caps are very good imitation ivory.

The bass bottom joint is a replica in blackwood. Three of the stocks are ebony replicas. The replica pieces are all perfect matches to the set.

The set is in very good condition and has been refinished.

R. G. Lawrie, Ebony, Ivory, Nickel, Circa 1920s-30s

SOLD – Lawrie pipes were among the best of the early part of the 20th-century, and this includes mid-range work-a-day sets like this one. This set is superb ebony with ivory projecting mounts and caps, and classic Lawrie tapered nickel ferrules.

It can be difficult to date these models, but the use of high-grade ebony and the ivory patina on this set suggest late 1920s or early 1930s.

These pipes came back to me from a previous customer who purchased them several years ago, has added to his collection and decided it was time to downsize. I don’t have a record of what work was done during refurbishment other than refinishing. The invisible whipping I have done on pipes now is almost imperceptible, but I have gone over these with a fine tooth comb and I can’t find any whipping. The blowpipe stock was cracked when I received the pipes back and that has been invisible whipped and the blowstick bored out.

But for a couple of small age chips, the ivory and wood are all in excellent condition.

The set is bold, rich and steady in the old Lawrie tradition.

Robertsons, Circa 1940, Fully Mounted in Cocobola

SOLD – This set of Robertsons was originally mounted in casein, an imitation ivory material used in the early and mid-1900s. Casein unfortunately breaks down over time to acquire an unattractive chalky appearance. The casein on this set had deteriorated quite a bit, which would date them from the 1930s or 1940. The pipes themselves were in superb condition, so the casein mounts were removed and replaced with cocobola wood.

The pipes were stripped and refinished when they were remounted.

James Robertson made pipes from just before the Great War until he died in 1948. His company continued into the 1960s. His reputation for tonal and manufacturing consistency over this long period of time is almost unequaled. His drones are full, rich and steady, and this set is no exception.

Wm. Sinclair and Son, 1945, Blackwood, Ivory, Engraved Silver Slides

SOLD – William Sinclair & Son has been a premier pipemaker since it was founded in 1931 in Edinburgh. Though the Sinclair chanter has been an iconic band chanter since the 1950s, Sinclair drones have gained an equal reputation for craftsmanship, steadiness and tonal brilliance. I won the Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness and the Clasp at Inverness on a set of silver and ivory 1948 Sinclair drones.

This is an absolutely lovely set, in superb shape, with great lines and a lovely, bright sound like my set. The slides are engraved sterling silver, hallmarked 1945. The Sinclair practice of putting serial numbers on chanters has been followed here as well. Barely visible on the top of the slide on the bass bottom is “432201-945” — the last three numbers matching the hallmark date on the silver.

A new blowpipe and stock were made with original mounts to replace the cracked originals. Both are lined with polypenco to prevent cracking.

The wood and ivory on this set are gorgeous, and they sport the distinctive one-piece-full ivory caps typical of the Sinclair brand. The pipes play beautifully — steady, rich and bright. The chanter is original and looks like it has been broken and expertly put back together again. It plays beautifully.

R. G. Hardie, 1961, Engraved Silver and Ivory

SOLD – Bob Hardie made pipes from the late 1940s until the 1980s. He was a careful craftsman and used excellent blackwood.

His pipes are extremely steady, though they do not produce a big sound like the old Henderson or Lawrie sets. They are a very reliable and effective choice for a hobby piper wanting a stable, trouble-free silver and ivory set.

This set is in superb condition, with no flaws on the wood or ivory. It appears that one tenor stock and the blowstick stock are newer than the rest of the set (original mounts), and were probably replaced at the Hardie shop at some point.

The pipes were recently refinished.

Engraved Silver and Ivory Lawries in Blackwood and Ebony, 1951-52

SOLD – This Lawrie set is hallmarked 1951-52. Two of the pieces (including the chanter sole) are hallmarked 10 years later, but are perfect matches. The pipes were apparently bought new in 1952. The wood appears to be a mix of blackwood and ebony.

All pieces are original and there are no cracks. The ivory blowtick bulb has been lost, though the original engraved mouthpiece sleeve remains. One of the ivory ferrules on the bass has some age cracks on the bottom, but the ferrule is still solid.

The hand-engraved silver is outstanding, as evidenced by the photos of the chanter sole and the three ferrules.

The pipes play with great power and steadiness — typical Lawrie attributes.

The chanter doesn’t appear to be original to the pipes. Where the bulb meets the stock is not a perfect match in diameter, which it would be if it were the original Lawrie chanter. This may not be a bad thing. While Lawrie drones are top-of-the-heap, the chanters… not so much. This chanter has no maker’s name. It is quite good, though I can’t say for sure who made it. If I were guessing I would say Sinclair.

Circa 1940s Starck in Blackwood, Full Ivory, Nickel Slides

SOLD – This set of 1940s Henry Starck pipes comes from the estate of Captain John MacLellan, who purchased them in Edinburgh in the 1970s. Henry Starck came from a German woodwind making family that immigrated to London in the early 1800s. Henry began making pipes in 1889 and the company continued into the mid-1900s. The company was renown for its meticulous craftsmanship and instruments that can stand up against the best pipes in the business.

This set is blackwood, and all of the mounts are ivory. The tuning slides are nickel. It is very likely that the pipes underwent a cosmetic refurb just before Captain MacLellan purchased them, and it’s possible that the ivory ferrules were added at that time as the ferrules do not look as old as the projecting mounts and ring caps. The pipes were probably refinished then as well.

All pieces are original. One projecting mount broke in transit, but the break was perfectly clean and it has been glued back into place with just a light line visible at the join.

The tone is full and steady and similar to a set of modern Naills. This may be no coincidence, as Naill founder Les Cowell trained at Starck’s in the 1950s. The pipes are in virtually new condition.

Circa 1890s Henry Starck, Cocuswood, Full Ivory

SOLD – Henry Starck was part of a woodwind-making family that came to London from Germany in the early 1800s. Henry Senior began making pipes in 1889 after William Ross, the Queen’s piper, convinced him there was a good market. His pipes would eventually became renowned and sought after for their tone and for a level of craftsmanship at which modern makers still marvel.

Starck stamped many of his sets. This cocuswood set is not stamped, but the projecting mounts are turned in Starck’s very distinctive style, and these drone bottoms are identical in every respect (including the combing) to two drone pieces I have that are stamped “H. Starck” just below the upper projecting mount. These pipes are not as meticulously crafted as later Starck sets and are thought to be a very early example of Henry’s work.

The pipes are all original, except for one replaced tenor drone bush, and they are in immaculate shape but for some slight staining on the ivory.

The tone is superb cocuswood: steady, buzzy and full, though not as robust as a Henderson set. The tuning chambers are perfectly even and the tenor drones tune in a perfect position above the hemp line.

The cocuswood gives the pipes a deep, reddish-brown hue with great old-school character.

Henderson, Circa 1910, Ivory, Nickel

SOLD – This very old Henderson set is in superb shape for its age.

Dating is difficult with a set like this, but the shape and patina of the ivory suggest pre-Great War.

The nickel ferrules are original. The slides were added by the previous owner and are a perfect match.

All pieces are original and un-repaired, except for the chanter stock that had a slight crack that has been invisible whipped. The ivory drone caps have some normal age chipping. One projecting mount has had a piece of ivory about a quarter-inch square surgically inserted into what was undoubtedly a chip. The seams are visible but the ivory is a perfect match. The tuning chambers are perfectly even.

The tone is lovely: robust, but not overpowering; rich, with the deep, luxuriant Henderson bass and locked-in steadiness.
This is a prime, vintage Henderson set that would hold its own against any bagpipe in the world.

The slight shine in the photos is the not-quite-dry remnants of a 4-day almond oil bath.

Henderson, Circa 1930, Cocuswood or Brazillian Kingwood, Nickel, Ivory

SOLD – Several of these Henderson sets have come up on the site in the last few years. They are either cocuswood or the lighter and more variegated Brazillian kingwood, or a mix of both. It seems to have been a fairly common Henderson configuration in the 1920s and 1930s: cocuswood or kingwood with ivory projecting mounts and ring caps, and nickel ferrules.

They are tonally superb sets, with a sweetness to the Henderson sound that is different from the more robust blackwood sound.

The set has no original chanter (the chanter in the photographs was included by mistake). All five stocks are replacements with matching ferrules, as there were no stocks with this set. The blowstick stock is poly, the rest are blackwood.

The pipes have been refinished.