This set is a real beauty:  silver and ivory Hendersons thought to date from the early 1920s. They appear to be blackwood and are free of cracks. The only flaw, as you’ll see in the photos, is that one tenor drone projecting mount has a piece broken off the side. Someone with good sense had the break sanded straight and polished, so, while visible, it is not unsightly.

The blowstick is a poly-lined blackwood replica by Dunbar Bagpipes, with an ivory mount that is not original to the set and was taken from the previous cracked blowpipe. The mount matches the rest of the set fairly well; it just doesn’t look quite as old. The finish has been left on the set as is, though the wood, silver and ivory were all polished on a lathe.

The chanter is a Henderson, and the fact that it has an ivory sole would suggest it is not original to the pipes, though it may be.

Like the full ivory set directly below, this set is a first-class old Henderson set. The tone is full and steady, and the pipes went brilliantly with both sets of reeds I tried.

This is a visually stunning set of Lawries that were presented in 1950 to a retiring pipe major. Three shields on the drone stocks all state, “Presented to Pipe Major G. J. Pate, 1950, The Irish Regiment of Canada.”

The pipes are in superb condition. They were refinished, and no cracks were found, except for the blowstick, which has been replaced with a poly-lined blackwood replica. One nice feature of the pipes is that while they are full silver, the projecting mounts aren’t solid. so they don’t weigh a ton the way some full silvers do.

The chanter that came with the pipes is an old Hardie, and the engraving pattern on the sole is not a match for the pipes.

During this period, Lawrie was still producing some vintage classics, and this set seems to be one of them — bold and steady much like the great pre-1945 Hendersons.

If you like bling, it’s hard to beat this set, and the tone certainly supports the visuals!

This is one of the most remarkable sets to be exhibited on this site.

Donald MacPhee lived a brief but significant piping life from 1841 to 1880. He was a seminal piping figure in the 1860s and 1870s as one of the first great non-Gaelic speaking players. Robert Meldrum thought him one of the best players in Scotland, and his playing inspired a teenage John MacColl to save up enough money for a year to move from Oban to Glasgow for lessons from him. He published four important collections of music and ran a very successful bagpipe making business during the 1870s, though examples of his pipes are rare today. When he died at age 38 in 1880, Peter Henderson took over his shop.

The drones, chanter and blowstick are ebony and appear to be orignal. The combing and beading on the stocks match the pipes, but the stocks themselves don’t all match. The silver pattern on the stocks and mouthpiece bulb roughly match the pipes, but is a deeper cut and is hallmarked Peter Henderson 1951. It appears likely the stock ferrules and bulb and perhaps some of the stocks were made by Henderson as replacements to match the pipes at the time of the hallmark. The chanter is almost certainly the original with its barely visible “D McPHEE” stamped across the top. It is low-pitched but remarkably true.

The pipes were owned for many years by Hector MacLean, a pupil of Willie MacLean and John MacDonald of Inverness, and a prominent member of the Scottish Pipers’ Association during the 1940s and 1950s.

The tone is full, but smooth and refined, and the overall visual effect of this set is elegant and distinctive.

This iconic Robertson set displays all the classic Robertson traits, including the massive mushroom-shaped projecting mounts, square bells and robust, rich, steady sound.

The previous owner knew the history of these pipes and dated them to 1939, and the pattern of scribe lines on the ferrules would attest to 1930s manufacture.

The pipes are in superb condition with no replacement pieces or cracks, and the finish is original. The set comes with its original chanter.

Robertson is one of the most consistent makers I know of, both in terms of manufacturing standards and tone. They are easy to reed, and produce an exemplary tone with great chanter blend. If you’re looking for a classic full-ivory Robertson bagpipe, you won’t do better than this one.

Most Lawries of this ilk from the 1920s are in ebony, but this set is blackwood. As such, the drones are crack-free, but for one invisible repair to the tuning pin on the bass mid-joint.

The ivory is in great shape except for some minor staining, and the nickel ferrules are free of dings and dents.

The set has been refinished. The drones display the usual full and steady tone Lawries from this era are famous for. They played beautifully with both Ezeedrone reeds and Cannings, so they will certainly take a wide variety of drone reeds. They locked into tune nicely with both makes. If you’re looking for a very affordable instrument with the same tone of high-end vintage Lawries, this may be your set….

This is one of the earliest Henderson sets we’ve had on the site. The mounts, profiles and ivory patina suggest they are pre-WW1, likely 1910-1915 vintage.

All pieces are original except the blowstick, which has been replaced with a replica stick and the original mount. The pipes were refurbished and refinished by David Naill & Company just before I acquired them. There is some staining in the ivory and the odd wood chip typical of 100-year-old instruments.

There is not much more to say about this set. It is as fine a set of ivory-mounted classic vintage Hendersons as you’ll find. Tonally they are top-drawer: robust and steady, with a locked-in seamlessness unique to Henderson.

I acquired this Henderson set as “1920s” era, the previous owner having gone on various estimates from previous owners. However, the fact that the pipes are cocuswood suggests that the 1912 hallmark on the plain silver slides could in fact date the pipes.

The silver ferrules are engraved, though none are closed at the bottom. Oddly, the silver ferrule on the bass top lacks a bead wire, though it is almost certainly original to the rest of the engraved silver. This is barely noticeable, and I only found it as I checked how secure each mount was. The silver cap on the bass has a small dent on the corner.

All pieces are crack-free and original, except the blowpipe, which is not original to the set, but is quite a nice match nonetheless. As you can see in the photo below, the sole may or may not be original. It is not glued to the Henderson chanter as the previous owner had it on a different chanter.

The tone of this set is as good as Hendersons get — bold, seamless and steady in a way only old cocuswood can give.

The wood was not refinished.

These old Glen pipes are tonal classics. Though known for their “mellow” sound, David Glen drones in cocuswood are extremely rich in harmonics, steady as a rock, and very air efficient.

This set was likely made in the 1890s and comes with the original ivory-soled chanter. Unusually, for David Glen sets, there is no stamp on either the drones or the chanter, but the pipes appear to have been lightly sanded and refinished at some point, and this often erases the maker’s stamp. (Shame on any refurbisher who lets this happen!) The previous owner thought one tenor top might have been from another set from the same period, but I’m hard-pressed to see evidence of that.

The bass drone tunes quite low. This is not something I have ever considered a problem (my MacPhee bass tunes an inch above the mount), but the previous owner had a matching replica bass bottom made in stained mopane but with a narrower bore so that the bass would tune higher. Both pieces work very well.

These old cocuswood pipes have a visual appeal all their own, and David Glen’s attention to the details of craftsmanship and the nuances of tone make them classics

This set is stamped “Dn MacDougall Aberfeldy” under the projecting mount on the bass bottom, dating the set to between 1888 and 1898. The pipes are ebony with what appear to be elephant ivory mounts, though the bushes display the translucence of marine ivory.

The finish is superb, suggesting they have been refinished in recent times. The chanter stock had a hairline crack that has been invisible whipped. There are no other visible cracks in the pipes.

There are several small chips in the ivory. On the upper projecting mount on the bass bottom in particular there is a chattering patch for an inch or so on each side of the mount, like it got sandwiched between something abrasive. It’s more apparent to the hand than the eye.

The blowstick is quite short, and with the longest mouthpiece will only extend to 9.5.” A longer poly Walsh extendable with an imitation ivory mount that matches quite well can be provided if a longer blowpipe is needed.

The pipes are quite bold, even by MacDougall standards. They are steady and seamless with a great bass. With a set of Canning reeds the tenors tuned just below the hemp. This 120-year-old MacDougall set is really a lovely find.

This Atherton set was made in 2011 of blackwood, with engraved silver ferrules, legal ivory ring caps and blackwood projecting mounts.

They are in pristine condition and feature Dave’s brass-lined blowpipe. The zoomorphic silver pattern is elegant and beautifully excecuted. The reclaimed ivory is of exceptional quality.

Dave Atherton captured the Duncan MacDougall sound better than any other reproduction maker, then retired from bagpipe making with around 170 sets to his credit. This is one of his less common designs, #50 on Dave’s website gallery.

The tone is bold and rich, with a big, dominating bass sound, and great chanter blend.

These Robertsons were thought to have been purchased new in 1962. They are in superb condition and come with the original chanter and sole, as well as the original owner’s ivory-mounted Robertson practice chanter.

This set was owned by a gentleman whose wife owned a set of Robertsons as well. One of the sets was much, much older. At some point it’s possible that a couple of the pieces got switched around. The silver 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 silver 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 switcharoo!

The pipes have been refinished and the ivory and silver are all 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.

This Atherton set was made in 2011 of blackwood, with engraved silver ferrules, legal ivory ring caps and blackwood projecting mounts.

They are in pristine condition and feature Dave’s brass-lined blowpipe. The zoomorphic silver pattern is elegant and beautifully excecuted. The reclaimed ivory is of exceptional quality.

Dave Atherton captured the Duncan MacDougall sound better than any other reproduction maker, then retired from bagpipe making with around 170 sets to his credit. This is one of his less common designs, #50 on Dave’s website gallery.

The tone is bold and rich, with a big, dominating bass sound, and great chanter blend.

We’ve had a run of Atherton MD’s in the past month. This is the third set to come up, and coincidentally, all three were made in 2009. The photos here are of the first set. The only differences with the current set is that the blowpipe is brass lined blackwood and the chanter stock is blackwood as well. The blowstick stock is poly, as was Dave Atherton’s usual practice. The current set also comes with the original Rocket reeds and a nickel-sleeved mouthpiece

Dave Atherton is regarded by many to be the best pipemaker of modern times. His attention to detail, quality materials and perfect workmanship are legendary. He recently quit making pipes to pursue other ventures, leaving a legacy of around 170 sets, mostly reproductions of a Duncan MacDougall cocuswood bagpipe previously owned by the late Roddy MacDonald of Wilmington, Delaware, and now owned by his son Calum.

The tone is bold and steady with Canning tenors and a Kinnaird bass and the pipes are as steady as any set you will find.

This a collector’s item that plays beautifully, by a modern maker who will be remembered long after many others are forgotten.

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.

This unusual set of Robertsons was long thought to be ebony or cocuswood, and played with a rich and steady tone typical of these woods. However, after the pipes were stripped, the wood was discovered to be a mixture of cocuswood and Pernambuco Brazilwood, a superb musical wood used for the highest quality violin bows. The heartwood of this wood is quite red, thus the different coloured stocks.

The silver is hallmarked 1938. However the wood used, the shapes of the projecting mounts, and the slight ballooning in the shape of the stocks are evidence of a much earlier Robertson set — likely the 1920s or even earlier.

The bass drone top was cracked and has been whipped. This repair is undetectable. The tuning pin on the middle joint of the bass drone had an immense bore that was almost certainly a replacement. It left the bass slightly unsteady and difficult to reed. A blackwood replacement bored to proper specs eliminated this problem and the pipes play beautifully.

The Robertson drone sound is bold and steady, particularly with this wood, and this distinctive set could be played at the highest levels.

I’ve never seen another set of old Robertsons quite like this one. This is a superb and unique instrument

This is first of twin Thow sets acquired at the same time, and clearly made at the same time.

The Thow pipemaking company made instruments from 1861-1953, starting with the patriarch, John, and followed by his son David, who took the company over when John died in 1879. The chanter is labelled “David Thow, Dundee.” David died in 1916, so these pipes could have been made anytime between 1879 and 1916. David and John Thow were superb pipemakers, contempory with the MacDougalls and Centers, and made pipes of comparable quality.

Both sets of pipes appear to have been in storage for quite some time, as evidenced by the very uneven staining on the ivory. The pipes are ebony with full ivory mounts and plain silver slides, unhallmarked.

There were no cracks in the pipes themselves, though the chanter had cracked and has now been restored. The drones required no work at all, not even refinishing. There is some spider-cracking on the ivory, but this is cosmetic, and none of the pieces is threatened. One tenor stock had a hairline crack and has been invisible whipped. As seen in the photos, the cord guides and the sleeved ivory ferrules on the tuning chambers are quite distinctive, the latter being adopted later by William Sinclair.

The pipes are not as full as a MacDougall set, but not as mellow as most David Glen pipes. The tone is rich, refined and steady without being overpowering. The drones tune slightly lower on the pins that some other sets, so this set would be particularly suited to someone playing a flatter pitch. The chanter plays, but would be a challenge to reed consistently.

Thow pipes are rare, and are should be viewed as one of the prime pipes made in their day. Of the twin sets listed here, while both play equally as well, this set has more consistent ivory colouring and would be the most desirable.

I acquired this set thinking it was quite a lovely Hardie set. It is hallmarked 1962-63 and all pieces are original except for the blowstick, which appears to be an older Lawrie.

When I struck the pipes up to try them, I was absolutely blown away by the tone: they were big, full, rich and just filled the room. “Hendersons!” I thought.

But the visuals didn’t say Henderson. I shared pictures with knowledgeable colleagues and all agreed: they look like several prominant makes of the time, but aren’t obviously one or the other. The hallmarks give the “PN” engraver:  a common bagpipe engraver in Birmingham, but not the standard Hardie or Henderson silversmith.

I have to leave it at that and just reiterate that the tone of these pipes is remarkable, and the set is beautiful. The original sole is currently on a poly chanter of unknown make. If anyone thinks they can identify this set I’d love to hear from you.

If you’re looking for a set of silver and ivories that are stunning both tonally and visually, don’t let the lack of a maker’s name put you off this set. You could call them “Henderson” and the minute you struck up, everyone would believe you!

This complete set of Grainger & Campbell pipes dates from the early 1960s, and comes with the original pipe chanter and practice chanter.

The set is in great shape, but was mounted in pumpkin-orange imitation ivory, which has been replaced with cocobola mounts modelled after the Grainger originals.

The tuning pin of the middle joint of the bass drone was broken and has been replaced. Hairline cracks in the bass top and one tenor top have been sealed.

The set has a full sound, quite rich, with a robust bass. They were steady with the first set of reeds used. The chanter and the practice chanter are both in good condition and will go well with modern reeds.

According to Jeannie Campbell’s book “Highland Bagpipe Makers” (an invaluable resource), Grainger & Campbell made pipes in Glasgow from 1946-1989 after taking over the Duncan MacRae shop. During the 1960s and early 1970s, premier pipers Donald MacLeod and John MacFadyen were very involved in the firm. I remember as a young piper during these days not being very impressed with “modern” pipemakers’ pipes — except for Graingers, which I’d heard played by several good piobaireachd players on the Ontario solo circuit.

This silver and ivory R. G. Lawrie set is hallmarked 1900 and is in remarkable shape for its age. One tenor drone bottom was replaced many years ago by Charley Kron, ivory and all. It is a nearly perfect replacment, and the ivory has aged nicely so that it is very close to an ideal blend with the older ivory. The mouthpiece bulb is not original. These rarely survive. Pictured is an imitation ivory replacement that is just about perfect.

The other tenor drone top had a hairline crack that has been whipped and is completely invisible. Some of the ivory projecting mount plates show spider lines typical of old ivory.

The wood has a few nicks and chips commensurate with 113 years of age. The pipes were stripped and refinished.

The set plays beautifully — steady, big, rich, and with a seamless bass/tenor blend typical of the old Lawrie and Henderson sets. Despite the replacement piece — executed by one of the great modern pipemakers — this set remains classic Lawrie from the firm’s golden age.

This unassuming looking instrument was one of the more exciting suprises of my career. I purchased them as a David Glen set, which I duly thought they were. I reeded them, plugged them into my own stocks and played them, as I do all sets here. I expected the rich but “mellow” (quieter) sound David Glen’s pipes are renown for. Instead, I was greeted with an incredibly robust set of drones. I was shocked and taken with them immediately, both by their rich volume and blend with the chanter, as well as their incredible steadiness.

Further research finally determined them — most likely — to have been made by the Edinburgh firm of J & R Glen, likely around 1880.

John and Robert Glen were the sons of Thomas Glen. Thomas was the brother of Alexander, who was David’s father. It was with Thomas and Alexander that the Glen family branched into two very different firms, each with their distinct strengths, but with one common element:  exceptional craftsmanship. Thomas Glen’s pipes were very much on a par with, Duncan MacDougall’s. They are rare and high prized by knowledgeable vintage aficionados. John and Robert also made exceptional pipes, quite different from their cousin David. John and Robert took over Thomas’s firm in 1867, while David took over Alexander’s in 1873.

After John and Robert died (in 1904 and 1911 respectively) the company continued, but the pipes of that time and later never exhibited the robust and remarkble tonal quality of the earlier J & R sets.

When one tenor stock cracked shortly after I acquired these pipes, I replaced all three drone stocks with blackwood Glen stocks that date from roughly the same period.

I’ve only seen one other MacDougall bagpipe configured quite like this one. It was thought that the metal mounts might be a retrofit, but a careful examination indicates they are original. It is in keeping with Duncan MacDougall’s trend before the 1890s of virtually custom-building every bagpipe.

The set is ebony and mounted in ivory and engraved silver. The tuning chambers are fitted with brass slides, a practice particularly associated with the MacDougall family, though it was done by others as well.

The stamp “Dn McDougall Breadalbane” appears in three places: on the top and bottom of the chanter stick and on the top of the bass drone bottom joint, just below the ivory projecting mount. Breadalbane was the MacDougall home before the family moved to Aberfeldy, and dates the pipes between 1873 and 1887.

As is often the case with ebony pipes that contain brass inserts, each drone piece was cracked adjacent to the brass insert. As is also the case, none of the cracks leaked, and the pipes were being played in this condition by the owner on the isle of Skye until fairly recently with no issues. However, all cracks have been sealed and invisible whipped by Dunbar Bagpipes. The repairs are marvellous, as seen in the bottom right photo where the two left drone pieces have been repaired, while the right piece has not. You would be hard-pressed to detect the whipped pieces in the photos below without first knowing they were there. The blowpipe stock is a poly-lined blackwood replica. The engraving on the metal sleeve on the blowpipe does not match the rest of the pipes.

The tone is full (not quite Henderson full) and rich, with a fabulous, rich bass and a steadiness typical of the great old MacDougalls. Tuning positions are excellent.

This set has now been reprodcued as “The Breadalbane” offered by McGillivray Piping as part of the attractive, toneful and affordable “Victorian Line” of nineteenth-century replicas. The Breadalbane reproductions ae made by Dunbar Bagpipe Maker to the exact specifications of this set. The previous owner of this set was well known piper Allan Beaton of London/Skye, who played them for 30 years until 2012.

This set of Grainger and Campbell silver and ivories are hallmarked as having been made in 1977 and are in pristine condition.

This firm took over the Duncan  MacRae shop in Glasgow in 1946, and made pipes until 1989. Both Donald MacLeod and John MacFadyen were involved with the firm in the 1960s and 1970s and their influence on the instruments resulted in a well respected bagpipe being made for many years.

The sound is quite full, and might best be described as being similar to modern Naill pipes, though the bass in this set is particularly full.

This set had extra attention paid to it when the last owner sent them to John Kidd, an American refurbisher and student of the tonal properties of columns. John had a well-earned reputation for improving the tone of pipes by flaring stock bottoms, tuing pins and adjusting bores so that they matched one another perfectly within the bagpipe. The previous owner reports: “Once I put some playing time on them, I had John Kidd match the tenor drones, and had him do his famous flaring of the stocks and tapering of the joints. The tone really locked in after these modifications.”

The finish on the pipes was superb when I received them and has not been touched. There is some dark staining on a portion of two of the lower projecting mounts. The original silver sole had been installed onto a Kron Medallist blackwood solo chanter. The previous owner found the blowpipe too long and had John Kidd provide a cast silver replacement. The original silver and ivory mouthpiece and Grainger chanter are provided with the pipes. This is really a beautiful silver and ivory set, and the tonal alterations have upgraded its sound to “exceptional.”

Invoices documenting Mr. Kidd’s work are provided. Sad to report that John Kidd passed away in October this year.

Dave Atherton is regarded by many to be the best pipemaker of modern times. His attention to detail, quality materials and perfectist workmanship were obsessive. He recently quit making pipes to pursue other ventures, leaving a legacy of around 170 sets, mostly reproductions of a Duncan MacDougall cocuswood bagpipe previously owned by the late Roddy MacDonald of Wilmington, Delaware, and now owned by his son Calum.

This set was made in 2009 and has hardly been played. It is in absolutely pristine, virtually as-new condition. The mounts are nickel and imitation ivory. The blowstick and blowstick stock are poly.

The tone is bold and steady with Canning tenors and a Kinnaird bass and the pipes are as steady as any set you will find.

Consider this a collector’s item that plays beautifully, by a modern maker who will be remembered long after many others are forgotten.

Here is a rare full silver set of pipes made by the Edinburgh firm of William Sinclair and Son. The pipes are hallmarked 1972.

William Sinclair started business in 1931 and still operates today. They have gained a well-earned reputation as the best and most consistent modern pipemaker. This set was likely made by William Sinclair junior. The tone is full and I was very impressed by how steady they were from the second I pulled the middle tenor into tune. This is a great high-end Sinclair set that comes with the original Sinclair chanter and silver sole.

The pipes did not need refinishing. The tenor stocks have had each had a very minor hairline crack sealed as a proactive setup. It was only when I was hemping the pipes that I realized the blowstick is a matching poly replacement, thought the projecting mount is original. The bass stock appears to be a replacement, but still has the original ferrule. The only deficiency in the set otherwise is that there is no full silver mouthpiece and bulb, though it’s possible the set was not made with one.

A nice attribute of this set is that the silver projecting mounts are formed, not solid, so the set is not much heavier than a standard silver and ivory set.

The are lots of of Sinclair bagpipe devotees out there, and if you’re one of them you’ll hardly do better than this set.

A gem of a man, and one of the great piping icons of the last 75 years, Bob Hardie made pipes beginning in 1950, and his company was one of the most prolific in the 20th century. He was an excellent craftsman, and the quality and seasoning of the wood the company used is exemplified by how many sets today still have perfectly true tuning chambers that don’t bind on the hemp.

This bagpipe had one owner who purchased it new in 1952. One tenor top had a hairline crack that has been stopped in its tracks, and the bagpipe has been refinished. The blowpipe appears to be a Lawrie with an ivory mount, and while it’s not a perfect match, neither is it distracting.

Hardie pipes are known for their subdued tone, a “mellow” sound many pipers favour. Elsewhere on this page, you will see Hardie pipes that have been rebored to Henderson specs, but the tone of this set was surprisingly rich and buzzy — much like some old Glen sets — so these bores have been left alone. Hardie pipes are well known for being steady and easy to reed.

The ivory is in absolutely immaculate condition, the tuning chambers are perfect, and the pipe is attractive and tuneful.

Though not the typical high-end vintage fare usually offered on this page, this set came to me out of the blue in good condition and played nicely, so I thought I would offer it as a very affordable ‘semi-vintage’ set. The set was likely made in the 1960s, and while some might call that vintage, to me, a set of pipes is not vintage unless it’s older than me!

This Lawrie set is typical of the firm’s offerings in the 1960s and 1970s, with the most recognizable feature being the drone ferrules with a thick bead an no scribe lines. The nickel ferrules on the stocks only are unusual, but the stocks appear to be original. They add a nice bit of variety to the appearance of the pipes. The drone bushes are ivory, which is quite common among imitation ivory pipes prior to the 1970s. I have no idea why they put ivory bushes on imitation ivory pipes, but you see it all the time.

This set is all original except for the blowpipe and mount, which were missing. No other work was required. The finish is original.

Though not the bold and magical sound of the true vintage Lawries made prior to the mid-1950s, the tone from these drones is nonetheless full and steady:  a solid, work-a-day pipe, easily reeded and nicely made with well seasoned wood.

This is one of the old sets of Hendersons we’ve had on the vintage page.

The pipes are cocuswood, mounted in ivory and elegantly engraved silver. The silver is not hallmarked, and the silver ferrules have seams, both evidence of the pipes having been made around or before the turn of the century.

The engraving is light and tasteful, and the silver shines up beautifully. The ivory is in spectacular shape.

The tone is vintage Henderson — full, rich, and, unlike the ferrules, seamless.

There were hairine cracks in one tenor top, one tenor stock, the blowstick stock, and at the very bottom of the bass stock. These have been invisible whipped. Cocuswood is more difficult to match than blackwood or ebony, so the recombed sections show the repairs slightly, though I like to think it has been tastefully done.

The original chanter stock was too badly split to salvage, so the mount was put on a blackwood replica stock. The seam on one tenor ferrule has separated slightly, but this is visible only up close.

This is a pretty special set. Perhaps that should go without saying.

Henry Starck was a descendant of a long line of 19th-century German woodwind makers. He emigrated to London in the 1880s where the Queen’s Piper, William Ross, convinced him to begin making pipes for him. Making bagpipes proved lucrative, and several generations of Starcks continued the business into the 1960s, still using Ross’s name on their pipes.

Henry and his son, also Henry, were marvellous makers, and pipemakers today still hold Starck pipes up as icons of craftsmanship. Listeners are often surprised to discover that a full and rich set of Henderson-like pipes they are hearing is in fact a Starck.

This set is blackwood, mounted in full ivory. According to a previous owner who knows the history, they were made in 1923. The pipes are in pristine condition, and the ivory is immaculate. They were likely refinished at some point, but there is no evidence of a crack or repair anywhere. The two tenors don’t appear perfectly identical. They certainly look like the same maker from the same time period. The reedseats were threaded at some point in the recent past.

Each tuning pin is stamped “H. Starck, Late W. Ross, London.” The stamps are visible in some of the photos.

The tone of these pipes is big and buzzy — Starck hallmarks. They are steady. They tune in the right places. They are superb.

The Thow pipemaking company made instruments from 1861-1953, starting with the patriarch, John, and followed by his son David, who took the company over when John died in 1879. The chanter is labelled “David Thow, Dundee.” David died in 1916, so these pipes could have been made anytime between 1879 and 1916. David and John Thow were superb pipemakers, contempory with the MacDougalls and Centers, and made pipes of comparable quality.

These pipes have been in storage for who knows how long, as evidenced by the very uneven staining on the ivory. The pipes are ebony with full ivory mounts and plain silver slides, unhallmarked.

There were no cracks in the pipes themselves, though the chanter had been broken and primitively whipped. This has been completely restored, but the drones required no work at all, not even refinishing. There is some spider-cracking on the ivory, but this is cosmetic, and none of the pieces is threatened. As seen in the photos, the cord guides and the sleeved ivory ferrules on the tuning chambers are quite distinctive, the latter being adopted by William Sinclair.

The pipes are not as full as a MacDougall set, but not as mellow as most David Glen pipes. The tone is rich, refined and steady without being overpowering. The drones tune slightly lower on the pins that some other sets, so this set would be particularly suited to someone playing a flatter pitch. The chanter plays, but would be a challenge to reed consistently.

Thow pipes are rare, and are should be viewed as one of the prime pipes made in their day.

This Hardie set was made in 1967 and came to me in excellent shape, so I have left the original finish intact. Though there was no original chanter sole, all other pieces, including the mouthpiece bulb and sleeve, are original

This set was fairly robust as Hardie pipes go. While I find Hardie pipes a bit “mellow” for my taste, I quite liked this set. It was certainly not a booming old Lawrie, but it was rich and locked nicely into tune.

There are a couple of very minor dings in the silver that can just be seen in the photos of the caps, and a couple of scuffs in the finish, so I’ve tried to make this set as affordable as possible for someone who might like a nice silver and ivory set without the usual price tag. I often find Hardie sets like this suit adult pipers looking for an attractive instrument that is easy to reed, easy to tune, and steady.

The silver pattern on this set is quite unusual for Hardie pipes: hand engraved rather than machine.