We’ve had a bit of a run on Sinclair pipes on the site recently, and I’m always pleased to have them. William Sinclair & Sons have been the most long-standing and consistent modern pipemaker on record, dating from the early 1930s and still making superb pipes in Edinburgh today. Their pipes have won major prizes at all levels.

This set is silver and ivory, hallmarked 1956. When I struck this set up and played it, it reminded me very much of the circa 1950 Sinclair set I played all through the 1980s and with which I won a Gold Medal and the Clasp at Inverness — same silver pattern, same steady, rich, bright sound.

The pipes are original and complete except for the blowpipe stock, which is a new poly-lined, blackwood reproduction with the original silver mount, and the blowpipe bulb, which is an imitation ivory reproduction with the original silver sleeve.

Aside from this, there are no repairs to the drones; even the original finish was in excellent shape and has been left as is. There is some chipping to the wood at the bottoms of the bells, and to the thin ivory ridge below the beads on some projecting mounts, but I would class all of these as normal wear rather than damage.

While the matching silver sole is no longer present, I do have a stock of engraved silver soles and might be able to find one with a pattern close enough to suit.