This line of pipes is a reproduction set of Robertson pipes made in the 1940s. The original was made of African blackwood and mounted in elephant ivory. It was acquired from former Toronto Police Pipe Major and double Gold Medallist Ian K. MacDonald.

I well remember well Ian playing these pipes when  he was coming to me for lessons as a young teenager. He got them from his father John, long-time Pipe Major of the Toronto Police Pipe Band well before Ian.

This is the original 1940s Robertson bagpipe owned by double Gold Medallist Ian K. MacDonald and used for this reproduction.

The bagpipe comes in African blackwood, with non-chip imitation ivory mounts.

These reproductions are made by Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario. A superb maker, the company undertakes all of my vintage refurbishments and I value their work and professionalism immensely — a vastly underrated pipemaker.

James Robertson made pipes in Edinburgh from 1908 until his death in 1948, though the company continued until the mid-1960s. His pipes are easily identified by their distinctive ‘mushroom’ projecting mounts. He is one of the most consistent pipemakers I have encountered in many years of dealing in hundreds of sets of vintage pipes. Pipemakers today speak highly of his superb workmanship, and players speak highly of his tone.

Robertson pipes are full, rich and extremely steady, very much in the Henderson tradition. This reproduction uses the exact tonal measurements from the original Robertson set. These replica sets come with a two-year guarantee against cracking.

Click the arrow below to hear Matt MacIsaac play the air “The Fair Swan” on a set of Robertson reproduction pipes:

The blowpipe and blowpipe stock on these pipes is polypenco. (Add CAD $165 for poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock.)

It should be noted that the Peter Henderson/R. G, Hardie pipemaking company owns the rights to the Robertson name. The name is used here with permission, and the pipes have no connection to any pipes made by the Glasgow firm.

Email me about this reproduction.

Sticks and stocks only:
African Blackwood: CAD $2,350 sticks and stocks only, plus shipping