SOLD – James Robertson made pipes in Edinburgh as early as 1908. He died in 1948 but the high tonal and manufacturing standard he set was maintained until the company ceased operations in 1965.

This is a classic silver and ivory Robertson, with every piece hallmarked 1947-48 except for the mouthpiece tube, which is matching hand-engraved nickel alloy on an imitation ivory bulb.

The set arrived in excellent shape — including the original chanter and sole. The finish was well worn, so the pipes underwent a full strip-and-refinish. This uncovered hairline cracks in the bass top, chanter stock and blowpipe which have been invisible whipped and will not cause trouble. As might be expected of a 73-year-old set, the wood has a few nicks here and there, and the ivory a bit of staining and spider cracking, but the set is solid and ready for another 70 more years.

The drones played like so many other great Robertson sets I’ve known: steady, rich and bold.  Robertsons are vastly underrated pipes by a vintage piping population intent on Hendersons. They should be seen more regularly at the highest levels.

SOLD – We have two sets of Grainger and Campbell silver and ivory pipes on the set at present, and they are nearly twins.

The Grainger and Campbell pipemaking company operated in Glasgow beginning in 1946. In 1952 they took over the premises and machinery from the defunct Duncan MacRae firm. They made bagpipes of excellent quality until the company closed in 1989.

This silver and ivory set is hallmarked 1973-74 on every piece.

The set is in superb condition, requiring only a good polishing on the lathe and re-truing a couple of the tuning chambers.  The original Grainger chanter is still with the pipes. But the original silver sole has been affixed to a Naill blackwood chanter. I don’t know the vintage of the chanter, but I believe it is quite modern. It plays very well. The original Grainger chanter would have played well in it day, though it would be low-pitched in today’s piping world and difficult to reed.

The set also has its original silver and ivory mouthpiece.

As expected, the drones on this set were robust and very steady, locking into tune nicely with my Canning drone reeds.

SOLD – The William Sinclair and Son company of Leith will go down in history as one of the leading pipemakers of their day. The company began making pipes around 1930, but appears to have closed down as of 2019 with the death of the last Sinclair son, a third-generation pipemaker.

This set is made in blackwood, mounted in full ivory, and was likely made in the 1960s.

The pipes have been stripped and refinished in the usual oil/wax finish preferred on this site. Two small hairline cracks were found under two ferrules, and these have been sealed.

This set played very steadily and with a bright, resonant tone.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,750 plus shipping

Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $4,395  plus shipping

SOLD – The quality and consistency of Robertson pipes is legendary, and this Robertson set lines up with other 1950s Robertsons as a fine example of instruments made when George Kilgour and James Martin manned the shop.

The set has been well used over its 70 or so years of life, but cleaned up well with a strip and refinish. The chanter stock ferrule has been replaced by a faux ivory substitute that is extremely convincing. The bass drone bushing has been lost, and has been replaced with one made of moose antler, visible in the caps photograph below. The wood parts were all crack free. The combing is well worn in spots.

The stock bores are tapered, a practice that was quite common in the Robertson shop at this time. The tapered stocks are designed to reduce air turbulence within the stocks.

The previous owner had the tuning slides corked very nicely, and with a touch of cork grease the tuning action is excellent. The stock joints are all hemped.  Should any prospective buyer like the cork replaced with hemp, that can be done.

These pipes played in typical Robertson fashion with a robust, seamless sound and great steadiness.

SOLD – The William Sinclair and Sons company of Leith goes down as one of the leading modern pipemakers. The company began making pipes around 1930 and appears to have closed down as of last year with the death of the last Sinclair son.

This set came to me from its second owner, who acquired it from his cousin. Made in blackwood and mounted in engraved silver and ivory, the set is hallmarked 1968-69.

The original and well weathered lacquer finish was removed, and the sticks were checked for cracks and then refinished in the usual oil and wax. One small crack appeared at the top end of the blowstick, and this was invisible whipped.  The ring caps have numerous slight dents, visible up close, but inconspicuous.

The original Sinclair chanter and sole remain with the pipes.

True to Sinclair pipes, the set had a bright and full tone, steady and sonorous.  I played a set of silver and ivory Sinclairs through much of my competing days, so it was a familiar cheerful sound to me.

SOLD – This elegant David Glen set was likely made in the years around 1890. The sticks are slightly heavier that later David Glen pipes.

The set is made of lovely dark Caribbean cocuswood, with ivory projecting mounts and nickel ferrules. The tuning chambers are lined with brass, not an uncommon practice with several pipemakers during the latter half of the 19th century. A long crack was visible running upward from the ferrule on the bass mid-joint. This has been sealed, though its shadow is still visible. The rest of the pipe is immaculate after a strip-and-refinish. The set comes with a David Glen chanter, though there is no guarantee that it is original to the pipes.

David Glen made pipes from 1873 until his death in 1916. While the tone of most of his pipes might be described as very rich and subdued, this set has a fuller tone, though equally rich and wonderfully steady.

This set locked into a groove very quickly and stayed there with my set of Canning reeds.

SOLD – Profiles suggest manufacture of this Lawrie set around 1940 or a little earlier.

The pipes came to me from Fife, where they had lain unplayed for some years. Stripping the finish revealed cracks in three drone stocks and one tenor top just above the ferrule. These have been sealed and invisible whipped and will cause no more trouble. The blowpipe looks like it came from a Henderson set and the combing and beading match well. The pipes were refinished and came out showing the beautiful African blackwood grain.

They came into tune quickly and held nicely with my Canning drone reeds.  They retain characteristics of classic Lawries, with a robust sound and superb steadiness.

SOLD – This is a true half-sized set, not one of the more common three-quarter (more like 7/8th) sized sets we often see. In the past, these have been given to children to play. More commonly today they are set up to go in Bb to play with other instruments or by itself.  This set appears to be from J & R Glen, as stamped on the chanter. The vintage was more difficult to determine and could range anywhere between 1900 and 1930

This set is being sold as it came to me and is priced appropriately.  The instrument is in good condition but for a couple of chips in one ferrule (visible in the photos). The hide bag is tight, the original chanter has been reeded, and a box of cane drone reeds as well as a brand new and appropriately sized set of Ezeedrone reeds are included. I have not played the set-up instrument.

The set comes with what may well be the original wooden box, including original key.

SOLD – This set came to me as a David Glen, but with some help from one of my trusted vintage experts we’ve determined it is in fact J & R Glen.  John and Robert Glen were the sons of Thomas Glen, the first pipemaker in the Glen family, brother of Alex, uncle of David. Made of cocuswood and with button mounts and nickel ferrules and rings, these pipes are thought to date to 1900 or a few years later.

Unlike David Glen pipes, J & R sets play a bit more robustly, though the richness and chanter blend they produce is a joy. This set was steady and lively with my current Canning drone reeds.

These pipes had already undergone a refurbishment when I acquired them. I discovered a small crack in the blowstick stock, which has been invisible whipped.

SOLD – This lovely old David Glen set is thought to date to around 1890. It is made of cocuswood with button mounts, nickel ferrules and ivory caps.

It had undergone a refurbishment and refinishing before I acquired it and it remains in excellent condition. The blowpipe stock has had a brass lining inserted into it to stop a small crack that was also sealed.

David Glen made pipes in Edinburgh from the time his father Alex died in 1873 until David’s death in 1916. Cocuswood appears to have been his favoured wood. His pipes are known for their less robust but rich and buzzy tone that promotes great chanter blend. They are highly air efficient.

This set played rock steady with my current set of Canning drone reeds.

SOLD – This James Robertson set came to me in beautiful condition, but for a worn finish. The pipes were stripped, checked for cracks (none), and refinished.

Silver and ivory Robertsons are not uncommon, but those with each piece hallmarked are rare. The hallmarks on this set state 1952-53.

James Robertson’s company was just about the most consistent pipemaker I know: high manufacturing standards, and a full, steady tone through decades and decades of pipemaking, even after James passed in 1948.

This set played beautifully with my set of Canning drone reeds.

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SOLD – This gorgeous set of Hendersons came to me covered with a thick coat of inky material and varnish. I had no idea what kind of wood they were. Once stripped though, they were revealed to be a gorgeous Henderson bagpipe with African blackwood stocks and ebony drones. The profiles and mix of woods suggest a manufacturing period between 1910 and 1920. During the transition to blackwood, makers commonly mixed woods. This particular one is a clever mix, since blackwood is a more resilient wood and better suited to stocks than is ebony.

Hairline cracks were repaired in the blowpipe stock and chanter stock as well as one tenor stock. The bagpipe was refinished. There are a few spider lines in the ivory, and some yellowing on two of the stock ferrules.

The drones played as I expected they would, with the classic, bold and seamless Henderson sound becoming apparent as I pulled the middle tenor into tune and the pipes locked.

Play these on any stage in the world, or enjoy them in your own piping room.

SOLD
These don’t come around very often.

This great old set of Hendersons came to me as is. I knew the previous owner, what he thought of these pipes and how well he took care of them.  They are a gem.

I recall that he had the pipes refurbished at some point in the not-too-distant past, so after a polish on the lathe they looked pristine. I think the blowstick stock and chanter stock have had some excellent invisible whipping done on them, but it’s hard to be certain.

A few spider lines on the ivory projecting mounts and the 1915-16 hallmark attest to the age of these pipes.

Unlike some Hendersons from this era, the cord guides aren’t stamped with the maker’s name, nor does the silver show the PH (Peter Henderson) maker’s name. But between myself and Ron Bowen — who is the foremost Henderson expert I know — we are confident that these are Hendersons.

The pipes played beautifully when tried by myself and another professional piper, each using our own reeds.

SOLD – The Grainger and Campbell pipemaking company operated in Glasgow beginning in 1946. In 1952 they took over the premises and machinery from the defunct Duncan MacRae firm. They made bagpipes of excellent quality until the company closed in 1989.

This silver and ivory Grainger and Campbell set is hallmarked 1969-70 on every piece. The pipes were originally selected by Donald MacLeod — part owner of the Grainger firm along with John MacFadyen — for the late Geoff Neigh, brother of the more famous Ed, and a good friend of mine. I well remember Geoff playing this set in the old Guelph Pipe Band in the 1970s.

The set is in superb condition, requiring a good polishing on the lathe, and the reaffixing of a couple of the mounts. The blowstick stock had a hairline crack near the mount that has been invisible whipped. The original Grainger chanter is still with the pipes. These chanters played very well in their day, though they would be low-pitched in today’s piping world. The set also has its original silver and ivory mouthpiece.

Interestingly, the set has had modifications made to it by the late John Kidd.  John believed that square edges in the bores created turbulence that affected the steadiness of pipes detrimentally. He rounded off the tops of the tuning pins and tapered the bottoms of the stocks to ease the flow of air. A surprising number of sets of pipes are around that show John’s work.  Geoff Neigh swore by the modifications, saying that the pipes had never been steadier than after the Kidd treatment.

As expected, the drones on this set were full and very steady, locking into tune nicely with my Canning drone reeds.

SOLD – This set of blackwood Lawries was likely made in the 1930s. It is blackwood, with imitation ivory mounts and nickel slides. The pipes underwent a refurbishment that included and strip-and-refinish not too many years ago, so it was in great shape when I acquired it.

The drones have a typically robust Lawrie sound and immediately locked into tune with my Canning drone reeds. It was a lovely sound. The chanter appears to be original, but these old Lawrie chanters weren’t particularly tuneful, and it should likely not be played.

This is a well-priced, classic Lawrie set with a tone that would stand up beautifully on any stage.

SOLD – Many a budding Northumbrian smallpipe player got their start on a reconditioned David Burleigh set just like this.

Burleigh numbered all of his sets, and this one is numbered 2,999. This F set was put into playing condition two years ago, still plays very well. The bellows was acquired from Colin Ross in 2001 (they aren’t original to the set).  The pipes are African blackwood with brass keys and metalwork. The mounts are imitation ivory.

SOLD – This isn’t the usual offering one expects on a GHB site, but it IS a bagpipe, and a very nice one.

This set of Northumbrian smallpipes in the key of D was made by the firm of Richard and Anita Evans, who recently retired from making pipes. The set has an 11-key chanter and five drones, each with a tuning bead.  The set also comes with an Evans Scottish Smallpipe chanter in D, with a high B key. The drones will play with either chanter. The pipes are in great condition, with excellent Evans drone reeds. Each chanter has a reed, but they are past their lifespan and should be replaced.  Though retired, the Evans will still make reeds for their pipes.

The pipes are African blackwood with imitation ivory mounts. Keys and other metalwork are silver-plated brass.

The set does not come with a bellows.

SOLD – This stunning set came from an estate sale where it had never been played. It was originally purchased by a gentlemen who had never had a lesson and who, it would appear, never played them either. The pipes came to me without a mark on the wood or silver. The finish you see in the photos is the original, unblemished finish. This is essentially a brand new, 1966 full-silver Sinclair bagpipe.

This brief history comes from a letter to the Sinclair company from the owner and the return letter from Alistair Sinclair, both included with the pipes. The owner makes it clear that he always wanted a bagpipe but knows nothing about how to play. He asks for instructions. The reply offers basic blowing instruction, a tutor book, a practice chanter and a tin of seasoning.  There is no further correspondence.

The pipes come with the original Sinclair chanter and matching silver sole as well as the original, good-as-new case with the Sinclair stamp on the inside of the lid.

The pipes required the re-affixing of many of the mounts, a polish, a shortening of the blowstick, rehemping and oiling.

They played like a dream. I played Sinclair pipes for 10 years at the height of my competitive career and loved the full, bright sound of the drones.

SOLD – This set had only one owner, who brought the pipes with him when he emigrated from Aberdeen, Scotland to the Canadian midwest in 1920 when he was 20.

The pipes are R. G. Lawrie, and the appearance, plus the above evidence, date the set from the years around 1920. The pipes are mounted in ivory and nickel — tapered ferrules, as Lawrie was wont to do.

The blowstick and blowstick stock were beyond repair and have been replaced with poly-lined, blackwood replicas.  One tenor top had a small crack. Unfortunately, due to thin wood at that point in the drone, it had to be externally rather than internally whipped, and this is visible in the photos. The pipes have been stripped and refinished and since they haven’t been played since the 1980s, extra care has been taken in oiling.

Tonally, these pipes are typical Lawrie from this era:  extremely robust and very steady, locking in nicely with my current set of Canning drone reeds.

SOLD – This set came to me about a year and a half ago and has been my personal set for the past few months. They came to me as hallmarked 1926 Hendersons; however, this is not what they were at all. They were clearly Lawries, and while the pipes certainly had every indication of being from the 1920s — including the superb tone — the silver was neither PH hallmarked nor 1926. Only the slides are hallmarked, and as far as I can tell from the date stamp in the hallmark, the silver slides are from 1983. The rest of the silver may have been installed at the same time, but this is not certain.

The pipes are blackwood and the projecting mounts are new imitation ivory installed some months ago to replace ivory which was aging badly. Why did I play these pipes as my own set for some months? Because the tone was brilliant: a big drone sound that blended beautifully with the chanter. I couldn’t resist making them mine for a while.

The set was stripped and refinished during its initial refurbishment. All evidence points to this being a brilliant early Lawrie set, with silver added later.

SOLD – his Dave Atherton MD was made in 2009 or a little before. Dave Atherton models his MacDougall reproduction after a set of brilliant 1870s cocuswood Duncan MacDougall pipes that had been owned by Roddy MacDonald from Wilmington, Delaware. The craftsmanship and tone of these pipes as a modern-made instrument are beyond compare.

This set is in mint condition but for one chip on one projecting mount. The chip has been glued nicely back in place and the repair is almost invisible. The blowstick and blowstick stock are polypenco. The drone and chanter stock bores are all tapered, a technique Atherton has used periodically in keeping with the theory that the tapering reduces turbulence for steadier air flow.

As an aside, this set was played in seven winning bands across four grades at the North American Championship in Maxville and was played in an army pipe band in recent years during tours of Vimy, Dieppe, Juno Beach, and the battlefields of the Italian campaign.

SOLD – This Lawrie set is in excellent condition for its age. All pieces are original, and needed no work was needed other than to polish them up on the lathe.

The set comes with its original chanter, though old Lawrie chanters were not particularly good and this is not a chanter you would wish to play. However, it supports the historical integrity of the instrument.

Tonally the drones are steady and rich, though slightly flatter than some Lawries, tuning slightly lower than usual on the tuning pins. The set is ivory-free.

SOLD — This is a fairly early David Glen set, made in ebony, and mounted in full ivory, likely during David’s early years in the 1870s. The projecting mounts are smaller that in later sets, and more rounded, in the style of David’s father Alexander.

As is usual with 140-year-old ebony, there were some cracks under ferrules that extended up into the pieces. These have been invisible whipped and will be stable going forward. The two bass tuning pins are fitted with copper sleeves. These may have been added later, but chances are the entire set was originally sleeved and at some point the tenor sleeves were removed.

The set had come to the previous owner with no stocks. He asked David Naill & Co. to create replica stocks out of blackwood and fit them with aged imitation ivory that would match the original ivory on the pipes as closely as possible. The result is remarkably accurate.

All other pieces are original, except for the blowpipe, which is a replica with it’s original ivory mount.

The pipes play in typically David Glen fashion:  slightly subdued and with extreme steadiness and a rich blend with the chanter.

SOLD – This unusual Henderson set came to me with Sterling silver slides hallmarked PH 1910. The pipes are ebony.  All pieces are original except for the blowpipe, which is a Lawrie, and a good match for the set.

In typical fashion for ebony, the pipes had some minor hairline cracking under the ferrules. These are not officially “cracks”, but they can become cracks, so we invisible whip all of these under the ferrules.

One tenor drone was tuning quite low and had a problematic double tone. After careful measurements by Rick Pettigrew at Dunbar Bagpipes, it was determined the tuning chamber in the tenor top was slightly larger than optimal — perhaps a previous refurb had over-bored the joint in an effort to even out the tuning chamber. A blackwood sleeve was made and installed into that bore to make it identical to the other tenor.

The finished pipes played absolutely beautifully with my Kinnaird Edge drone reeds. They locked into tune immediately and displayed the classic rich, seamless and robust sound you would expect from an old Henderson set in ebony. Quite remarkable steadiness, and great blend with the chanter, and superb work by Dunbar Bagpipes.

SOLD — This ebony MacDougall set is difficult to date, but probably originated in Duncan MacDougall’s shop in the 1890s. Duncan liked customers to come to the shop to order a bagpipe, and it was there that customers probably chose minor tweaks to their instruments. The Edinburgh-style cut beads on the projecting mounts on this set are a likely example, as Duncan rarely did this.

The set was in such good shape when I acquired it that I was convinced it had replacement pieces, but in fact all pieces are original ebony except for the blowstick and blowstick stock. The ferrule on the bass top might be a replacement, but if so, it is a perfect ivory replica.

The bass bottom was cracked and required invisible whipping. A number of ferrules had the usual tiny cracks in the tenons that come with age, and these were whipped under the ferrules to prevent future cracking.

The set came with what looked like old Robertson slides that didn’t suit the pipes at all and impeded the tuning chambers, so these were replaced with plain Sterling silver slides hallmarked 2016.

The set played in typical MacDougall fashion: robust but not booming, very steady, and with a sonorous bass sound.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $6,950 plus shipping

Set up to play by Jim McGillivray with Ross or Bannatyne bag, polypenco chanter of choice, Ezeedrone drone reeds, Highland Gear bag cover, plain coloured silk drone cords, plastic chanter cap. (To add Ross or Bannatyne Canister system and Ross valve/watertrap, add CAD $165) (For an African Blackwood chanter instead of polypenco, request add-on price.)
CAD $7,695  plus shipping

SOLD – This is a rare Robertson set with non-ivory (casein) mounts that have been polished and have not deteriorated into a gray, chalky material. The engraved nickel mounts were added at some point in the recent past.

The set had some hairline cracks in a couple of pieces that have been invisible whipped so that they would not spread. The stocks don’t appear to be original to the set. The are extremely well made, are almost certainly Starck stocks. All match but for the blowpipe stock, which also is a recent replacement. The blowstick itself was missing, so a polypenco replica was made and a matching casein mount found and installed. At least a couple of drone pieces could be Brazilwood, a wood frequently used by James Robertson. The casein shows numerous spider lines but all mounts are solid.

The set locked into tune immediately with my Kinnaird Edge drone reeds, and the sound was robust and steady within seconds. In terms of manufacturing standards and sound, Robertson was the most consistent maker I know of through the entire life of the company; materials may differ, but the quality of work and sound is always exemplary.

SOLD — We’ve had quite a number of cocuswood Hendersons on the site over the years, but few in such great shape. Cocuswood is stupendous for pipes and it is sad that it is no longer available in instrument-grade. The use of cocuswood, along with the profiles of this set, indicate a manufacturing date likely within five years either way of the Great War.

The set needed no work but for re-truing of the tenor tuning chambers and reaffixing of the nickel ferrules. The colouring is sublime and the ivory and nickel are in lovely condition.

Tonally, these pipes are premier: robust and steady, with a seamless overall blend typical of the great Henderson sets.

This set would make any piper happy, from the serious hobbyist to a Gold Medal contender.

SOLD – The Starck firm began business in the early 19th century as a woodwind maker. In 1889, Henry Starck was convinced by William Ross, the Queen’s piper, to make bagpipes. The firm made absolutely superb instruments, and many of the pre-1950s sets are as good as those of any other maker.

This set is thought to date into the 1930s. It is blackwood, mounted in full ivory, and has engraved German silver slides. German silver is the name given to a widely used alloy of the time similar to today’s nickel.

The pipes are in excellent condition and required invisible whipping only along a hairline crack in the blowstick. The finish needed only polishing and appears to be original. There are some small, filled cracks in the ivory mount of the blowpipe stock.

I tested this set along with two sets of Hendersons and was impressed by the fact that it was easily as good as the Hendersons in terms of steadiness, richness, blend, volume and proper tuning positions. This is a superb set of pipes.

SOLD — Full silver pipes of any kind are uncommon. If they happen to be Lawries:  bonus.

This set is hallmarked with “RGL” silver on each piece, and the date is 1964-65. All pieces are original.

One tenor stock and one tenor top had hairline cracks that have been repaired invisibly. The finish on the pipes was in good shape. I prefer to leave pipes as original as possible if I possibly can, so the pipes were not refinished. The blowpipe has at some point had a copper insert installed and a crack repaired and this has held up well.

Note that the dark blotches appearing on the ring cap silver in a couple of the photos are reflections from my lights, not blemishes.

Tonally the set is full and steady, tuning up quickly with my current Kinnaird Edge drone reeds.

If you long for a head-turning set with good tone and a quality name like Lawrie for a reasonable price, you won’t do better than this one!

SOLD – This cocuswood Henderson set is stamped in the cord guides. It came to me mounted in nickel and casein. The wood and profiles suggest a manufacturing date within a few years of the Great War.

The casein was not in good shape so it was decided to remount the entire set in imitation ivory and Sterling silver engraved in Ancient Celtic by Truehand engraving. The pipes came out beautifully after refinishing and the cocuswood gives them a lovely burgundy hue.

They played beautifully from the first blow, locking into tune in the correct tuning positions and filling the room with a classic, bold, seamless Henderson sound.