These Robertsons were purchased new sometime around 1960. They are in superb condition.

This set was owned by a gentleman whose wife owned a set of Robertsons as well with the same silver pattern. One of the sets was much older. At some point it’s possible that one or two of the stocks got switched around. The ferrule on one tenor stock is the same pattern, but much older, though the stock appears to be original. The bass stock is a Robertson, but with a tapered bore typical of older Robertsons. However, the ferrule on the bass is orignal to the set.

Suffice to say that all parts are Robertson and the set suffers no tonal or visual ill effects from the inadvertant switch!

One unusual characteristic about this set (and this may be more common than pipers think):  while the set is not hallmarked, any piper would call this set “silver and ivory.”  However, I had the silver professionally tested. Here are the results:  Copper: 61.42%.  Zinc: 22.95%.  Nickel: 8.3%.  Silver:  4.67%.  Strontium: 2.7%.  It is absolutely lovely material, as the photos show, with just enough silver to give it the remarkable sheen and the softness to take hand engraving.

The pipes were refinished about 3 years ago and all of the mounts are in immaculate condition. The pipes play with typically bold Robertson timbre — rich, steady and with a dominant bass sound.

This is really a gorgeous and exceptional pipe, free of cracks or blemishes, though missing the original engraved mouthpiece and ivory bulb.