SOLD – This 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. It has one noticeable flaw, and that is about a third of the upper projecting mount on one tenor bottom has broken off and is worn fairly smooth.  It’s visible in the photos. The upper projecting mount of the bass bottom has quite a deep spider crack, but the piece is very stable.

This set played in booming Henderson fashion — a great, seamless blend  that stayed nicely in tune for the 10 minutes I played it.

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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

We have a few great Hendersons on the site right now, and this is another. Likely made before 1920, it is ebony with wood projecting mounts, nickel ferrules and casein ring caps. This means the bagpipe is free of ivory: rare for an old Henderson.

The blowpipe and blowpipe stock have both been fitted with brass linings, though there is not a hint of a crack in either piece. The cord guides are stamped ‘P. Henderson, Glasgow’.

The set is in really excellent shape. Played like an ebony Henderson:  full but not booming, rich and steady with a nice, full bass.

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As shown, sticks and stocks only
CAD $4,550 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 $5,295 plus shipping

This set was purchased used in Pembroke, Ontario in the 1930s and has been in the same family ever since. One owner took them to Korea during the Korean war in the 1950s and played them in ceremonial events.

The wood looks like cocuswood, but its lighter, streaked hue also suggests Brazillian kingwood, also used by pipemakers in the first half of the 20th century. The projecting mounts are wood, the ferrules are nickel, and the ring caps are ivory. The blowpipe is a polypenco-lined blackwood replica. All other pieces are original.

This is one of the most voluminous Henderson pipes I have played.  In all respects this is a classic Henderson in volume, seamless tone and steadiness.  Though not all Hendersons are stamped in the cord guides, this set is.

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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

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.

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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

This set likely dates from the 1890s 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 as possibly being Gavin MacDougall, possibly 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.

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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

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.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,150 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 $4,895  plus shipping

This 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.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,250 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 $3,995  plus shipping