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There is something in the mystery of the old instruments that captivates and motivates us. Is the old wood really better? Did the old makers know something we don’t? Do musical instruments improve with age? Why do so many great players play vintage pipes? Who was the greatest maker of all time?
Jim McGillivray playing an ebony and ivory set of circa 1850s pipes thought to be made by Duncan MacDougall’s father, John. Photo by Paul Mosey.
These questions and others continue to occupy the thoughts of vintage bagpipe aficionados. I take pride in acquiring great old pipes. I take great care in their refurbishment and in playing them to determine their musical worth. I also go to great lengths to make sure vintage bagpipe buyers know exactly what they are getting in terms of make, quality and any repairs that have been undertaken.
If you’re looking for an old instrument, I hope you’ll trust me to help you. If you’re not looking for an old set, check out my new offerings or just take the time to enjoy the photos and descriptions of bagpipe history below.
If you have an old set you would like to part with, please email me.
Watch this space for instruments on their way to the vintage page.
~circa 1930s Lawrie, full ivory, engraved silver slides – NOW POSTED
~circa 1880 John Center, full ivory
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Lawrie, circa 1930s, ivory, engraved silver slidesThis lovely Lawrie set is in excellent condition and plays extremely well.
The set is blackwood with ivory mounts. The slides are engraved Sterling silver, not hallmarked, and clearly a later addition to the pipes.
Cracks in the two tenor tops have been invisible whipped and will give no further problems.
These drones played with a very bold tone, steady, with lots of harmonics: a first-class instrument all-round!
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As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $5,150 plus shippingSet 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 $5,895 plus shipping -
Henderson, circa 1910, full ivoryThis set came to me from a gentleman who played them in the great City of Toronto Pipe Band in the 1960s. They were a dominant force in grade 1 in Ontario for many years, and placed 5th at the World Championship in 1966.
The set is blackwood, mounted in full ivory. It appears to have been refinished in the not-too-distant past. When I received the pipes, one upper tenor projecting mount was broken half off, and the upper bass bottom projecting mount was also broken. I’ve had these replaced with period mounts. As the drone slides picture show, the bass mount matches almost perfectly. The tenor mount is a little different, but blends in well unless you’re looking closely.
This set played in booming Henderson fashion — a great, seamless blend that stayed nicely in tune for the 10 minutes I played it. This is an exceptional bagpipe.
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As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,450 plus shippingSet 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 -
William Sinclair & Sons, circa 1960s, full ivorySOLD – William Sinclair set a high standard for modern-day pipemaking, beginning in the 1930s, and continuing today.
This set has been on the site before and remains in excellent condition. The finish is excellent, and the pipe was free of cracks. The set sports the full ivory caps seen only on Sinclair and MacPherson pipes.
Sinclair tone does not disappoint. It is full, steady and bright. This set played beautifully for me.
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As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,550 plus shippingSet 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 $5,295 plus shipping -
Robert MacKinnon, circa 1930s, full ivorySOLD – Robert McKinnon was a leading piper in the 1870s and 80s. He published a book of music in a time when this was a rare thing, and he made bagpipes from 1875 to 1902.
This ebony set probably dates from the 1890s. The set was stripped and refinished. The badly split bass bottom was replaced with an ebony replica, keeping the original mounts. The blowpipe is also a replica: poly-lined blackwood with a matching imitation ivory mount. The blowstick stock is a poly replica.
Cracks were fixed in the tenor tuning pins and hemp stops were added to the drones.
Though MacKinnon was a Glasgow maker, these pipes displayed more of an Edinburgh tone: subdued, steady. The tenors tune quite low on the tuning pins, and as such it would be a particularly good bagpipe to play in Bb.
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As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $3,850 plus shippingSet 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 $4,595 plus shipping -
Robert Reid, circa 1930s, full ivoryRobert 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 shippingSet 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 -
Henderson, circa 1935, imitation ivory, nickel, ivoryThis 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 shippingSet 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 -
Center, circa 1900, ebony, ivoryThis set likely dates from around 1900 or a little later. It is made in ebony and full mounted in ivory. It was purchased as a Duncan MacDougall, but since that time has been identified being John Center.
At some point fairly recently the set was stripped and refinished by Dunbar Bagpipes. One of the tenor tops had been broken and subsequently lost, so a replica piece was made in African blackwood, with premium imitation ivory mounts that match the set extremely well. The blowpipe had also been lost. A replica has been made with a nicely matching holly mount. The set is priced accordingly.
The pipes played with a seamless and steady tone, with an excellent chanter blend.
Email me about this set.
As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,150 plus shippingSet 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 $4,895 plus shipping -
Chisholm (Robertson), circa 1940, African blackwood, nickel, imitation ivoryThe 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.
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As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,950 plus shippingSet 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 -
Lawries, circa 1930, nickel and ivoryThis is a classic late 1920s-1930 Lawrie set distinguished by large beads on the ivory projecting mounts.
The set was in very good condition, and a complete strip revealed no cracks. The set was refinished, and fissures in the ivory bass ring and the blowstick projecting mount were filled and stabilized. The blowpipe stock is a poly replica with the original mount. The tapered nickel mounts are in mint condition.
The set played with a rich, steady sound that locked nicely. The tenors tune a touch low.
Email me about this set.
As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,250 plus shippingSet 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 $3,995 plus shipping
