During the Great War, soldiers mired down in the trenches or in POW camps were known to fashion works of art out of materials at hand. This stamped Lawrie practice chanter appears to be exactly such a piece of history.

The wood is ebony, the ferrule is made from an indeterminate material, and the sole is either ivory or celluloid, but likely ivory. The barrel of the chanter has the following lines inscribed on it:

ROYAL SCOTS

SOUVENIR OF THE

GREAT WAR 1914-15

NEUVE CHAPPELLE . YPRES

FESTUBERT . HILL 60

FLEUBAIX . LA-BASSEE

Fleurbaix is misspelled as “Fleubaix.”

Most though not all of the battles carved into the chanter are in the Royal Scots’ battle honours list. Hill 60, for example, is often considered part of the first Battle of Ypres. Fleurbaix (which is misspelled as “Fleubaix”) actually occurred in 1916, later than the years “1914-15” carved into the chanter.

There is no guarantee that thi chanter was actually present in the trenches during these battles, but the fact that it is labelled as a “Souvenir,” of the war, the condition of the crudely mended mouthpiece and the inclusion of a limited number of battles certainly suggest that it was.

The chanter plays very nicely with a John Walsh practice chanter reed, though the D needs a piece of tape.

Though not stamped, this cocuswood practice classic is identical to a stamped R. G. Lawrie chanter I owned some years ago. The tapered nickel ferrule also suggests Lawrie. It plays in tune and vibrantly with a John Walsh practice chanter reed. The sole is artificial ivory, likely celluloid, also commonly used by Lawrie in the early part of the last century.

This stamped Peter Henderson practice chanter bottom came to me with a vintage set of pipes but no top. The stick appears to be cocuswood, but it may well be African blackwood. The sole is ivory. It plays beautifully with a John Walsh practice chanter reed, included with the chanter. The age is indeterminate, but I would suggest pre-1930.

This mouthpiece is by no means an antique but is quite lovely in an old-fashioned way. The bulb appears to be African blackwood, made from sapwood nearer the surface of the tree. The sleeve is nickel.