Vintage Bagpipe Archive

Circa Late 1800s Stamped David Glen in Cocuswood

SOLD -David Glen was a giant of piping. He was a prolific and significant compiler and publisher of pipe music, and the leading Edinburgh maker of bagpipes. His pipes are prized for their rich, steady tone, and stamped sets are historical icons. His meticulous craftsmanship is the envy of pipemakers even today.

This set is cocuswood with button mounts and nickel ferrules and rings. The David Glen stamp appears at the top of the bass drone stock.

The tone is vintage Glen: rich and remarkably steady. This set is more reserved than the Henderson or MacDougall sound, but is fuller than most Glens, perhaps due to the cocuswood.

This set is flawless but for one very effective repair in one tenor top. A crack that begins under the ferrule and extends above it has been ‘whipped’ under the ferrule with the addition of a brass ferrule under the nickel ferrule. The crack has been sealed with glue. This repair existed when the previous owner acquired the pipes in 1986, and the pipes have been played ever since with no change in the status of the repair. The seam of nickel ferrule opened at some point, but it too has never budged.

The finish in light varnish is also the pre-1986 finish and is in immaculate condition. No refurbishment was required on this bagpipe. This set was recently removed from an almond oil bath, resulting in some reflection in the photographs.

This is a lovely David Glen set with a sweet sound, and with no concerns for travelers or buyers worried about ivory mounts.

WWI-era Ebony Henderson, Ivory Caps, Nickel Ferrules

SOLD – If you’re looking classic ebony-Hendersons without all the expensive bling, this may be your set.

This Henderson set is ebony, likely made between 1910 and 1925, with nickel ferrules and and new ivory caps. The caps were originally worn and chalky casein, but it was just been replaced with elephant ivory from a 1950s ornamental tusk.

The pipes play a robust, rich and very steady Henderson tone.

All drone pieces are original and in perfect shape. The stocks are all replacements, made with ebony and with matching nickel ferrules. Though the stocks may look brown in the photos, they will darken up to match the wood in the drones.

The pipes have been refinished. This is a very sweet set of early Hendersons.

Duncan Macdougall, Circa 1890, Ebony, Full Ivory

SOLD – Many pipers believe that of all pipemakers, Duncan MacDougall, in his prime, displayed the greatest combination of tonal excellence, craftsmanship and style. He began making pipes around 1858 and died in 1898, leaving the firm to his son Gavin. Duncan MacDougall’s pipes are prized above almost all others.

This set likely dates from about 1890, later in Duncan’s career. They are likely ebony, though a hint of red through parts of the finish might suggest cocuswood. All mounts are elephant ivory.

The pipes came from an estate disbursement and had not been played since 1929. I acquired them from pipemaker Blue MacMurchie, who buffed the ivory and the wood, but did no other work on them. There was a barely visible crack in the top of the blowpipe stock near the ferrule, which I had invisibly whipped. You cannot tell this work was done.

I have played the pipes since last fall, and they are spectacular: steady, rich and full. There are no cracks or major blemishes. The tenor caps are slightly different, suggesting work may have been done sometime in the past, but the two tenor tops are certainly original.
One curiosity is the two-piece blowpipe stock equipped with a built-in brass watertrap, which I found quite useful used in combination with my McGillivray Piping tube trap. I’ve seen this on only two other sets, including a silver and ivory MacDougall set I now own that is replacing this set as my #1 pipe.

Duncan Macdougall, Circa 1890, Restored, Full Ivory

SOLD – This is a classic MacDougall from Duncan’s later career, but it has undergone a substantial restoration at some point. A number of pieces are replacements, some with original ivory, some without.

First, a warning: the set was acquired from a frequent ebay seller. Though promoted on ebay as ‘all original,’ stamped, and with some restoration, the set proved to be beautifully made and with a great sound, but not ‘all original’ at all. Further research into the seller’s website revealed that almost none of the sets being offered are what they appear to be: makers are unauthenticated and guesses at best. The seller refused to compromise on the sale or provide a refund, so products offered on the ‘Vintage Bagpipes’ site or by this seller on ebay are best avoided.

The good news is that only one replacement piece (the bass middle) is modern and blackwood. The rest are ebony and quite old, so the bagpipe is by no means a modern reproduction. All stocks and the complete bass drone are replacement pieces. Most of the ivory is original, though some pieces appear more pristine than others and may be replacements, albeit very good ones. In the bottom-right photo below, you will see a ‘D. MacDougall Aberfeldy’ stamp right below the ivory mount. The letters are clearly askew, indicating that the stamp is a forgery produced with individual letter stamps, rather than with a true maker’s stamp.

Good news part 2, is that they fooled me. I was initially very impressed with the tone and look of the pipes. It was only through Dave Atherton’s generous offer to examine them that I learned of the discrepancies. So, while not original, the bagpipe is still of a very high quality, both tonally and aesthetically, and is a first-class instrument. The same bottom-right photo shows the bass top (old replacement) and tenor top (original) side by side, and clearly the match is excellent. This same cohesive appearance marks the entire instrument, as shown in the photos.

The tone is full, rich, and extremely steady. They went beautifully with the first set of reeds I put in them. Despite the questionable pedigree, the sound of this bagpipe still says Duncan MacDougall.

If you’re looking for a great 100% original, stamped Duncan MacDougall set, save up about $7,500 and continue your search. If you’re looking for a superb set of ebony/ivory pipes in the Duncan MacDougall tradition with a mix of original and old replacement pieces at an affordable price, this one will fit the bill quite nicely.

Gavin Macdougall, Circa 1900, in Ebony, Ivory and Nickel Mounts, Brass Slides

SOLD – This Gavin MacDougall set was made in the first decade of the 1900s. They are ebony, with ivory projecting mounts and nickel ferrules

The tone is rich and very steady — really a classic Gavin MacDougall look and tonal quality.

The tuning chambers are fitted with brass slides — a well known MacDougall trait. The bass mid-joint and one tenor top have at some time in the past cracked over top of the brass slides, which is a fairly common occurrence with brass slides. They were sealed many years ago and have not budged since. The projecting mount on the bass mid-joint has a moderate-sized chip.

When I acquired these pipes they were without a bass stock and a blowpipe. A new ebony bass stock has been made with a matching nickel ferrule. A new blackwood blowstick lined with polypenco has also been made and an old ivory projecting mount was turned down to match the other projecting mounts. I’m pretty sure the ivory projecting mounts were put on a lathe and skimmed at some point to return the ivory to their original whiteness.

This is a superb set of MacDougall pipes at an affordable price.

Henderson, Circa 1920-1930, Ebony, Full Ivory

SOLD – James Robertson’s pipemaking exhibits a quality of wood and craftsmanship almost unequalled from the 1920s to the 1950s. This flat-combed set is made in ebony, allowing his Henderson-like tonal qualities and steadiness to shine through in what was at the time one of his lower-end models.

All wood pieces are original. The drone caps were originally chalky old casein, but these have just been replaced with elephant ivory from an ornamental tusk from the 1950s. Two ferrules which have been replaced with period matches. Tiny cracks under two ferrules have been lightly whipped and covered by the ferrules. Invisible whipping has been performed on one combing section on one tenor top.

Ebony is tonally superior to blackwood and produces a richness and steadiness blackwood cannot equal. These ebony Robertsons are a great choice for someone on a budget looking for a big, classic tone that would fare well at any level of piping.Henderson, Circa 1920-1930, Ebony, Full Ivory

Ebony Roberstons, Nickel, Ivory, Circa 1920s

SOLD – James Robertson’s pipemaking exhibits a quality of wood and craftsmanship almost unequalled from the 1920s to the 1950s. This flat-combed set is made in ebony, allowing his Henderson-like tonal qualities and steadiness to shine through in what was at the time one of his lower-end models.

All wood pieces are original. The drone caps were originally chalky old casein, but these have just been replaced with elephant ivory from an ornamental tusk from the 1950s. Two ferrules which have been replaced with period matches. Tiny cracks under two ferrules have been lightly whipped and covered by the ferrules. Invisible whipping has been performed on one combing section on one tenor top.

Ebony is tonally superior to blackwood and produces a richness and steadiness blackwood cannot equal. These ebony Robertsons are a great choice for someone on a budget looking for a big, classic tone that would fare well at any level of piping.

Robertson, Circa 1930s, Blackwood/Ebony Mix, Full Ivory Mounted

SOLD – This stunning set of full-ivory Robertsons is difficult to date precisely because Robertson design standards were very consistent over a long period of time. But the appearance of the ivory combined with the mix of blackwood and ebony parts suggests the 1930s era when the firm was moving away from ebony.

All pieces are original. One possible hairline crack was detected in the bass mid-joint and sealed. It is completely invisible.  The ivory has some small chips, and the bottom ferrule on one tenor has a larger chip that has been polished and does not stand out. The entire set has been refinished.

When the pipes were acquired, some of the combing on two of the drone bottoms just above the ferrule was badly torn, suggesting that someone had used a pair of pliers to remove the stuck pieces from the stocks. This has been completely repaired and the repair is not evident.

The stock bottoms on this set are flared, a trait of many earlier Robertsons and 19th century makers. The flaring is thought by many to enhance drone sound.

The set is as stunning tonally as it is visually — a big sound, solid bass, and they lock into tune beautifully.

The ivory-soled chanter appears to be original to the set.

The set came to the Detroit area from Scotland when its then-owner immigrated in 1952 and was played for many years in the Essex Scottish Pipe Band. The same owner used them to pipe John F. Kennedy onto a platform at an outdoor presidential election rally in Detroit in 1960.

Heriot & Allan Scottish Smallpipes, Combo C/D Set, Blackwood, Imitiation Ivory, Brass

SOLD – Heriot & Allan was the firm name for Robbie Greenstit and his wife Anne Sessoms, who made superb Northumbrian and Scottish smallpipes from the 1970s to just into the turn of this century. This set of Scottish smallpipes was made in 1989, according to a stamp found on the common stock.

The set is designed to play in the keys of C and D. The key of D is excellent for playing with other instruments — fiddles, guitar, keyboards. While D smallpipe chanters can be very small to finger, Robbie used angled holes to produce one of the most comfortable D spacings in the business. The key of C is the loveliest solo pitch, and is also used to play with singers. The chanters are fitted with two keys which open two more holes. In Highland pipe terminology, the two added notes are C-natural (between B and C) and high B (above high A). Each chanter is equipped with its own stock, which plugs into a bag stock, so the chanter reeds need never be exposed. These two chanters will not play with the same set of drones, so the set comes with a second set of drone tops which can easily be switched in when you change chanters.

The pipes are very well made, stylish and attractive, and very sweet sounding. The chanter reeds are made by Colin Ross, the drone reeds a mix of the original Heriot & Allan bass and tenor, and an Evans baritone. The pipes are reeded to be efficient and easy-blowing. Heriot & Allan owners speak highly of their instruments and their sweet, smooth tone.

The “Culloden” Bagpipe, Laburnum, Mounted in Bone, Nickel

SOLD – If there has ever been a ‘collector’s item’ offered on this site, this is it.

These bagpipes had initially been attributed to John Ban MacKenzie by a reputable authority; however, Jeannie Campbell at the College of Piping recently indicated that she believes they are much older. Jeannie acknowledges specific similarities between this bagpipe and their own Culloden bagpipe.  Authorities believe that the Culloden bagpipe predates the battle by about 50 years, meaning that it was probably made in the late 1600s or very early 1700s.  Jeannie believes that this bagpipe probably dates from around the time of the battle, being 1746.

The pipes are made of laburnum, which grows in Scotland and was frequently used to make pipes prior to the 1840s. The mounts are bone and nickel, the latter certainly a later addition. There is a cord guide turned into the bass middle – a common trait in early bagpipes. The pipes have certainly been refinished at some point, and the bone has probably been re-polished. They are in stunning condition.

The history of the pipes is impossible to authenticate. Was this pipe being played before the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the historic battle on Culloden Moors? More than one vintage expert has suggested that they may in fact be a pre-Victorian reproduction of a Culloden bagpipe. Even if that is the case, that likely makes them 175-200 years old – and perhaps much, much older.

Being laburnum, the pipes are very light in weight. The tone is smooth, and very mellow – just about the volume of a David Glen set, but not quite as buzzy. They tune fairly low on the pins, as one might expect from an instrument made when bagpipe pitch was much lower than it is today.

Whether you want to buy it or not, it’s a remarkable specimen to see and play, and I’m pleased and proud to have had the opportunity.

Lawries, Circa 1905, Ebony, Ivory, with Engraved Silver Slides

SOLD – Here is a classic set of ebony Lawries which were tentatively dated by the previous owner as 1905. While there was no firm evidence for this date, the patina of the ivory, the worn silver and the thick, well worn chanter all suggest that 1890s-1910 is almost certainly the correct range.

The pipes were refinished some years ago, at which time some minor cracks in the ivory were filled. All pieces are original.  The ivory has normal age-staining and is in good shape, but for a number of chips in the tops of the ferrules on the tenor stocks.

The silver pattern is lovely, but there are no hallmarks. The chanter is almost certainly original to the pipes and features not only an incredible silver sole, but a lovely ivory bulb as well.

The shield on the bass drone stock was designed in an old style, but was in fact added by the previous owner once he determined the age and make of the pipes. It is quite a tasteful addition and could easily pass for original.

There are no cracks or repairs to the wood. The pipes play a huge Lawrie/Henderson sound: very rich and steady, like a wall of sound behind the chanter.

This is really a lovely bagpipe, and the silver slides set the ivory off nicely. Tonally, this is a first-class instrument and would suit competitors right up to Gold Medal level.

Henderson 1936, Mint, with Original Chanter and Practice Chanter, Shipping Labels

SOLD -This set of blackwood, full-ivory mounted Hendersons comes as close to being authenticated as 1936 as can be without an actual date stamp on the drones. The set came in its original shipping box, addressed to the owner, return addressed Peter Henderson, postmarked 1936. The box was padded with 1936 newspapers. It also contained a brand new Willie Ross-edited Logan’s Tutor printed in 1936. The box was crumbling and the bag was literally rotted, but the parts of the box showing the shipping and postmarking information was kept and will go with the pipes.

The pipes look liked they were used minimally. The stocks were marked with some residue and had to be stripped and refinished, but the finish on the rest of the pipes has not been touched. The original Henderson practice chanter is showing some wear on the mouthpiece. But the pipe chanter is literally brand-spanking new and plays beautifully.

The ivory has some staining, some of which is visible in the pictures. This is the result of the pipes laying unused in the box in one position for decades, perhaps the result of some moisture on the bag. Such staining can be turned down on a lathe without too much difficulty, but I prefer to leave an original gem like this as it is.

The pipes display the big Henderson sound, played steadily with the first set of drone reeds put in them, tuned right where they should, and held nicely for 25 minutes. As a piping friend who was listening said when I was finished, “Yup, those are Hendersons.”