This is another rare and remarkable set sold on this site some years ago to an owner who for personal reasons is downsizing his collection.

William Ross was a monumental piping figure during the latter half of the 19th-century. He was born in 1823, and died in 1891, having held the position of Queen’s Piper to Queen Victoria since Angus Mackay’s death in 1854. His 1869 publication of piobaireachd and light music, called “Pipe Music” is one of the most significant collections of the century.

The exact history of his pipemaking business is not clear. He was a very clever businessman and well-to-do. Jeannie Campbell tells us he made the prize pipe at Inverness from 1873 to 1886. Whether he was a turner himself or not we aren’t sure, but later on he hired turners to make his pipes for him. From about 1880 onwards, he used Henry Starck, whose family had immigrated to London from Germany many years earlier. This would mark the beginning of the Starck pipemaking business, and the pipes made by the company for the next 30 years would be their best.

After Ross’s death, Starck would stamp his pipes “H. Starck/late W. Ross.” It is thought that sets stamped only “W. Ross” were the earliest, perhaps even turned while Ross was actively involved in the business.

Starck and Ross were meticulous about stamping instruments, often in several places, and this set is stamped “W. Ross” on each stock. The distinctive projecting mounts are typical of Starck’s later wide shapes, though shallower and using a softer, rounded bead rather than the straight cut bead he would use later on. This styling may well have originated with Ross. The tuning chambers have brass slides installed. One drone ferrule has a narrow split that was filled during the orignal restoration some years ago.

All pieces appear to be original, though the blowstick was missing. A new poly-lined blackwood blowstick has been made using an old, matching Starck mount. The chanter with this set a Brian Donaldson chanter with an original W. Ross ivory sole. The original chanter stick was damaged beyond repair. (Note that these photos are the original photoset, and the chanter is not the same, though the sole is.)

The set had several cracks, only two of which required whipping. Kudos to Dunbar Bagpipe Maker for a remarkable restoration of this instrument, which now should have another 100 years of life left in it.

The tone of this set is typical of the earliest Starcks: big, robust and buzzy: very much a MacDougall sound. They are as steady as a rock and a joy to play and behold.