There is something in the mystery of the old instruments that captivates and motivates us. Is the old wood really better? Did the old makers know something we don’t? Do musical instruments improve with age? Why do so many great players play vintage pipes? Who was the greatest maker of all time?
These questions and others continue to occupy the thoughts of vintage bagpipe aficionados. I take pride in acquiring great old pipes. I take great care in their refurbishment and in playing them to determine their musical worth. I also go to great lengths to make sure vintage bagpipe buyers know exactly what they are getting in terms of make, quality and any repairs that have been undertaken.
If you’re looking for an old instrument, I hope you’ll trust me to help you. If you’re not looking for an old set, check out my new offerings or just take the time to enjoy the photos and descriptions of bagpipe history below.
If you have an old set you would like to part with, please email me.
Coming Soon or Currently in Refurbishment
Watch this space for instruments on their way to the vintage page.
- MacPherson, Edinburgh, silver and ivory, hallmarked 1973
- Robertson, nickel and remounted imitation ivory
Vintage Pipes Currently Available
Duncan MacDougall, Circa 1890s, Cocuswood, Ivory
SOLD-This Duncan MacDougall set came to me needing no work at all, but for a cracked blowstick. Since these photos were taken that blowstick has been replaced by a poly-lined replica with the original mount.
There were no cracks and the finish has been left entirely alone.
The set played beautifully, as you might expect. MacDougalls are quite magical with their seamless, steady drone sound. The bass harmonics seem to come in surround-sound.
As MacDougalls go, it’s hard to do better than this cocuswood beauty!
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $8,850 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. For Lee & Sons bag, please request a quote. To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165. For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.
CAD $9,595 plus shipping
Peter Henderson, Silver and Ivory, Hallmarked 1972.
This set would have been made during the last year of the original Peter Henderson company’s existence under then director Greig Sharp.
The set came to me looking superb. It needed no work other than rehemping and oiling. What appears to be the original finish is still in excellent shape. There is almost no wear on the bass bottom joint, suggesting the pipes were never played much. The overly long blowstick you see in the photo has since been cut back to a more useful length.
The pipes played well with my Canning drone reeds. This is not the booming Henderson sound of pre-1950. It is less robust, but still refined and steady, perhaps more in a Hardie vein. The tenors tuned a bit low, though this is becoming more common as the pitch of the modern chanter continues to rise.
This is an attractive, resilient and tuneful bagpipe perfect for any player looking for a solid sound along with some bling.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $6,550 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. For Lee & Sons bag, please request a quote. To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165. For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.
CAD $7,295 plus shipping
R. G. Lawrie, Circa 1920, Cocuswood, Nickel, Ivory
This is a classic mid-level Lawrie bagpipe from around 1920 with classic spun, tapered nickel ferrules and ivory projecting mounts.
The wood appears to be cocuswood which was dwindling in supply around the time this bagpipe was made. It’s possible some pieces are ebony.
The set had a number of cracks that have been invisible whipped and should give no more trouble.
The tone was quite remarkable. These old Lawries are robust and vibrant, with a big bass sound, lovely chanter blend and lots of harmonics. A classic old model!
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $4,550 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $5,295 plus shipping
Duncan MacRae, Circa 1909, Nickel, Ivory
This MacRae bagpipe came to me with the famous MacRae hempless slides. Two of the slides were usable, but two were not and were not repairable, so we removed them all and replaced them with hemped slides.
The hempless slides had no patent information stamped on them – normally they did, after the patent was acquired – so this dates the pipes to around 1909, around the time the patent was secured, and shortly after Duncan MacRae went into business as a pipemaker.
There were several cracks in the instrument. All have been invisible whipped and will give no further problems. The bass mid-joint is sleeved with brass, for reasons unknown.
This set played like other MacRae sets I’ve played: very, very bold and steady with a great chanter blend and a seamless mix of bass and tenor.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $5,250 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $5,995 plus shipping
Kilgour & Kron, Silver and Imitation Ivory, Hallmarked 1992
George Kilgour was an Edinburgh man and a Scots Guards Pipe Major. In his younger days in the late 1940s, he learned pipemaking in the shop of James Robertson — one of the best in the business. In 1988 he emigrated to the US and set up shop with his apprentice, Charlie Kron in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He would stay until his retirement in 1995.
This gorgeous set is hallmarked 1992. It is in superb shape except for a small dent in one of the silver tenor drone caps (visible in photo). The only work the pipes needed was to have a new mouthpiece bulb made to replace a mismatched bulb. All pieces are original and the perfect finish and anecdotal evidence suggest the pipes were never played much, so they are quite pristine.
Though I worked with Charlie Kron for some years, I had never played a Kilgour & Kron set. I was pleasantly surprised by the very robust sound. The drones tuned in the right places and steadied up very quickly. The set also comes with a Kilgour & Kron pipe chanter with an imitation ivory sole.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $5,750 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $6,495 plus shipping
Hardie-Hendersons, Circa 1973, Full Ivory
SOLD – This set came to me from the widow of an old piping acquaintance, for whom I’d agreed to sell the pipes. The piper in question played these as a set of Hendersons for much of his life, and indeed they do have a great tone. But the thought among me and my vintage colleagues is that this may be a ‘Hardie-Henderson’: made by the R. G. Hardie shop after they purchased the Henderson name when that company closed in 1973. This could be off base and the pipe could be a bona fide Henderson set from the 1950s or 1960s.
The set was in excellent shape on acquisition. A crack in the blowpipe required invisible whipping. The pipes have been stripped and refinished, tuning chambers evened out, all newly hemped and tested.
The pipes played in lovely fashion: tuned in the classic Henderson tradition (tenors high, bass low), and exhibited a full and rich tone that locked in nicely.
The price takes into account the very reasonable price paid to acquire the set, plus the slight uncertainly in identification.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $3,250 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $3,995 plus shipping
Henry Starck, Circa 1930s, Engraved Silver Slides, Ivory
This Starck set came to me as ebony, but it may be a mix of ebony and African blackwood. All pieces are original except for one tenor stock and the blowpipe. The tenor stock appears to be a Lawrie with a nicely matching ivory ferrule. The blowpipe has a premium imitation ivory ferrule. The set had been stripped and refinished at some point before I acquired it, and this finish is still in excellent condition.
The set has engraved, hallmarked silver slides. I had trouble identifying the hallmark, but it may be 1942. The slides are almost certainly later add-ons.
There are some splits in the ivory. These have been filled and are stable. One or two are visible in the photos.
In typical Starck fashion, this set was bold and steady. The tenors tuned quite high, but not too much so. It’s a good set, despite the minor visual compromises.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $4,450 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $5,195 plus shipping
R. G. Hardie, Silver and Ivory, Hallmarked 1954-65
SOLD – This is a gorgeous Hardie set with every single piece original, accounted for, and in superb condition. The pipes were made in Glasgow during Bob Hardie’s company’s prime years.
The raised silver work is unusual for a Hardie set and each piece is hallmarked 1964-65. The pipes were bought new in 1966 and have had two owners, one of whom never played them.
Bob Hardie used the best wood in the business. Like this set, tuning chambers need minimal touch-up for even tuning. The ivory is pristine, as is the original ivory mouthpiece bulb, silver sleeve, chanter and chanter sole — a rarity. I don’t believe the previous owner actually used the original blowstick.
The pipes played in classic Hardie fashion: not a booming Henderson sound, nor a mellow David Glen sound, but somewhere in the middle, very smooth, very steady, and easy to reed.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $6,250 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $6,995 plus shipping
Wm. Sinclair & Sons, Circa 1950s, Full Ivory
This Sinclair set came to me in excellent condition save for a cracked blowpipe stock that has been invisible whipped and will give no more problems. The original finish has been maintained and polished. The tuning chambers were evened up, and the set was re-hemped and oiled.
The pipes were likely made in the 1950s and feature the solid ivory ring caps that both the Sinclair and MacPherson pipemaking companies in Edinburgh were known for. The bass ring cap was unfortunately broken in the near past and was replaced by Dunbar Bagpipes using their premium imitation ivory.
Sinclair pipes are known for their full and very bright sound. I played a Sinclair set all through the 1980s, winning the Gold Medal and Clasp at Inverness as well as the Glenfiddich M/S/R, so I have a soft spot for this maker!
These pipes played as expected, so it was bit of a trip down memory lane for me.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $4,950 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $5,695 plus shipping
Robert Reid, Circa 1930s, Full Ivory
Robert Reid was one of the greatest players of the 20th century. He operated a small pipemaking firm from 1932 until 1957 in Glasgow, so this bagpipe has a bit of history going for it in addition to a great sound.
The bagpipe is mounted in full ivory with projecting mounts in the Henderson tradition.
The pipes are in excellent condition but for a couple of ivory chips and a slightly stained blowpipe mount.
I’d never played a Robert Reid bagpipe before this and I was pleasantly surprised. I tested the pipes while I was testing four lovely sets of old Hendersons, and this bagpipe sounded right at home: very full and resonant, with great chanter blend and steadiness.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $4,450 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $5,195 plus shipping
Henderson, Circa 1935, Imitation Ivory, Nickel, Ivory
This set seems to be attracting no interest, though it is tonally one of the best sets on the site.
It would be a confusing bagpipe to come across because it was remounted at some point with non-replica mounts. After considerable study, the pipes were determined to have probably been made in the 1930s.
At some point the pipes were remounted by the David Naill company, who used their own projecting mount design. The ring caps were not touched, and are ivory. Hemp stops were added during the remount. Overall, the pipes are in excellent condition. All pieces appear to be original.
Like several other sets on the site right now, this set was full, classic Henderson: rich, steady and enveloping.
As shown, sticks and stocks only: CAD $3,750 plus shipping
Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $4,495 plus shipping
