This lovely little Lawrie set comes from the estate of Bill Livingstone, who passed away in March. It’s not known if Bill played this bagpipe much, but it was found among his piping possessions. 

The set is unusual in that it is as light as a feather. I’ve run the set past my vintage colleagues, and while we aren’t certain of the wood, we believe it may be Brazilian Kingwood, which is seen not infrequently from makers during this time. The pipes sit on your shoulder like a feather.

The tone of this set surprised me by it’s robustness. It was booming and steady and really impressed me. 

All pieces are original, except for the blowpipe, which is a blackwood replica. The set has been stripped and refinished.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,250 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 $4,995 plus shipping

This Starck set came to me as ebony, but it may be a mix of ebony and African blackwood. All pieces are original except for one tenor stock and the blowpipe. The tenor stock appears to be a Lawrie with a nicely matching ivory ferrule. The blowpipe has a premium imitation ivory ferrule. The set had been stripped and refinished at some point before I acquired it, and this finish is still in excellent condition.

The set has engraved, hallmarked silver slides.  I had trouble identifying the hallmark, but it may be 1942. The slides are almost certainly later add-ons. 

There are some splits in the ivory. These have been filled and are stable. One or two are visible in the photos. 

In typical Starck fashion, this set was bold and steady. The tenors tuned quite high, but not too much so. It’s a good set, despite the minor visual compromises.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,450 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 $5,195 plus shipping

This is a gorgeous Hardie set with every single piece original, accounted for, and in superb condition.  The pipes were made in Glasgow during Bob Hardie’s company’s prime years.

The raised silver work is unusual for a Hardie set and each piece is hallmarked 1964-65. The pipes were bought new in 1966 and have had two owners, one of whom never played them.

Bob Hardie used the best wood in the business. Like this set, tuning chambers need minimal touch-up for even tuning. The ivory is pristine, as is the original ivory mouthpiece bulb, silver sleeve, chanter and chanter sole — a rarity.  I don’t believe the previous owner actually used the original blowstick.

The pipes played in classic Hardie fashion: not a booming Henderson sound, nor a mellow David Glen sound, but somewhere in the middle, very smooth, very steady, and easy to reed.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $6,550 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 $7,295 plus shipping

This Sinclair set came to me in excellent condition save for a cracked blowpipe stock that has been invisible whipped and will give no more problems. The original finish has been maintained and polished. The tuning chambers were evened up, and the set was re-hemped and oiled.

The pipes were likely made in the 1950s and feature the solid ivory ring caps that both the Sinclair and MacPherson pipemaking companies in Edinburgh were known for. The bass ring cap was unfortunately broken in the near past and was replaced by Dunbar Bagpipes using their premium imitation ivory.

Sinclair pipes are known for their full and very bright sound. I played a Sinclair set all through the 1980s, winning the Gold Medal and Clasp at Inverness as well as the Glenfiddich M/S/R, so I have a soft spot for this maker!

These pipes played as expected, so it was bit of a trip down memory lane for me.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,950 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 $5,695 plus shipping

Robert Reid was one of the greatest players of the 20th century. He operated a small pipemaking firm from 1932 until 1957 in Glasgow, so this bagpipe has a bit of history going for it in addition to a great sound.

The bagpipe is mounted in full ivory with projecting mounts in the Henderson tradition.

The pipes are in excellent condition but for a couple of ivory chips and a slightly stained blowpipe mount.

I’d never played a Robert Reid bagpipe before this and I was pleasantly surprised. I tested the pipes while I was testing four lovely sets of old Hendersons, and this bagpipe sounded right at home: very full and resonant, with great chanter blend and steadiness.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,450 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 $5,195 plus shipping

This would be a confusing bagpipe to come across because it was remounted at some point with non-replica mounts. After considerable study, the pipes were determined to have probably been made in the 1930s.

At some point the pipes were remounted by the David Naill company, who used their own projecting mount design.  The ring caps were not touched, and are ivory. Hemp stops were added during the remount.  Overall, the pipes are in excellent condition. All pieces appear to be original.

Like several other sets on the site right now, this set was full, classic Henderson: rich, steady and enveloping.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,250 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 $4,995 plus shipping

The company “Chisholm and Hunters” or just plain “John Chisholm” was listed as a bagpipe maker from 1901 until 1949, according to Jeannie Campbell’s expert book “Highland Bagpipe Makers.” The company carried sundry non-piping-related items as well, and quite likely bought pipes from other makers. Vintage expert Ringo Bowen believes, on the strength of a former Robertson employee, that many of the early Chisholm sets were made by Lawrie, and later sets by the James Robertson company. This set falls into the latter category, and is in fact one of the sets pictured on Ringo’s Bagpipe Museum “John Chisholm” page.

Likely made by either James Robertson himself or James Martin — perhaps Robertson’s best turner — the set displays some differences from Robertson sets, but the wood projecting mounts, the stocks and the tapered tuning chamber externals display a distinctly Robertson flavour. The instrument is beautifully turned.

Any doubts about the make evaporated when I played the drones with my own Canning reeds. They were robust, seamless and steady very much like scores of Robertson’s I’ve played.

The pipes are in great shape. The ferrules are nickel and the caps are what appears to be imitation ivory. The imitation ivory may not be original. The blowstick stock had a small crack that was been repaired. There is one rice-grain sized chip on the bead on the plastic bass ring cap.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,950 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 $4,695  plus shipping