I love the look of this set. It was likely made in the years around 1890 or a bit earlier, and it looks it.  The ivory is in great shape, and the metal mounts are classic German silver with almost a chrome-like appearance.

The wood is a mix of ebony and cocuswood. These are two great musical woods, and mixing them was quite common in the day.

The tuning chambers are lined with brass, another period trait, lending more credence to the idea that makers other than MacDougall used them.

Typical of ebony, there were a couple of cracks. The blowstick stock and the bass mid-joint have both been invisible whipped their entire length. Those pieces will not crack again.

Any doubt that these were other than David Glen were dispelled when I played them. It’s an extremely rich and steady drone sound, but slightly quieter than most sets of pipes. This is typical David.

Not sure I’ve had a set of pipes on the site that looked more like an ‘antique’ than this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,750 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 $5,495  plus shipping

Not exactly a vintage offering, this set came into the shop for a very good price, and is being listed here at an equally good price.

The silver pattern is zoomorphic.  The blowpipe had been lined in brass to compensate for a crack that has been subsequently repaired but is still visible. The rest of the pipes are in like-new shape. They had one elderly owner, and it looks like they weren’t played much.  There is a silver plaque with the pipes, and if your name happens to be Justice William H. Stewart, the pipes will be perfect for you!  If that’s not your name, the shield slides right off the stock.

They play with a solid, steady tone, not quite as voluminous as the MacRae models, but bold and vibrant.

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As shown, sticks 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

David Glen worked in the pipemaking business with his father Alexander beginning in his teens. Alexander was the brother of Thomas MacBean Glen, whose mid-19th-century pipemaking firm would eventually become J&R Glen.  Alexander’s shop became David Glen in 1873 when Alex died and David took over at the age of 23. Those were the two Glen firms operating in Edinburgh in the latter part of the century.

David’s firm would produce a remarkable body of work before his death in 1916. David Glen would also become the most prolific publisher of pipe music in the history of the instrument.

This is is a typical low-end David Glen offering:  button mounts, nickel ferrules and stylized ivory caps in a mix of cocuswood and ebony.  The set was in excellent shape on acquisition. A short crack in the bass mid-joint needed invisible whipping.  There are a couple of small dings in the wood, but nothing obvious. The finish is excellent.

David Glen’s pipes play with a rich, steady, relatively quiet sound.  The are a great piobaireachd pipe and great for anyone not wishing an overpowering drone sound.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,350 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 $5,095  plus shipping

This set is thought to date to just before 1912, before Lawrie adopted their trademark tapered ferrules. The set is ebony, the ferrules nickel, and the caps are just about the best imitation ivory you’ll ever see.  The set is ivory-free. Projecting mounts are ebony.

Being ebony, the pipes came with repaired cracks in two stocks: invisible whipping on the blowstick stock, and not-so-invisible whipping on one tenor stock. The wood overall in this set is lovely.

The tone of this set blew me away:  big and bold as you’ll hear, but steady and with lots of chanter blend.

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As shown, sticks 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

“Frankenpipe” is a term we use to describe a bagpipe that has been cobbled together from spare parts. It can be derogatory. This frankenpipe is an unusual example.

It came from the estate of the late Bill Burnett, founder of Burnett’s & Struth Scottish Regalia in Barrie, Ontario, and this means something. Bill dealt in pipes and vintage pipes and he knew pipes well.  (I purchased from Bill the 1912 silver and ivory Hendersons I played through the 1990s.) Bill did not cobble together any old spare parts here. These were from premier makers.  Here is the ‘item list’ as far as I can determine:

Bass: Robertson, except for mid-joint, which appears to be an old Lawrie
Tenor 1: Lawrie
Tenor 2: Henderson
Stocks: Robertson, except chanter stock which is Lawrie or Henderson
Blowstick: Robertson

The Robertson bass top appears to be cocuswood or Brazilwood and has a rare “J. Robertson Edinburgh” stamp on two lines. One tenor top has a distinctive cocuswood appearance as well.

The appearance and profiles of the pieces suggest most, if not all, were made in the years around 1930.

As you might expect (or might not!) the set played beautifully. It locked into tune with a bold harmonious blend and filled the room nicely.

This is not your standard frankenpipe.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $2,550 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 $3,295  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 $3,950 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

This set came to me as a John Center set. The styling and workmanship are superb; this pipe was made by an experienced maker.

A crack in the bass top has been invisibly whipped. The set came with no blowstick stock, so a replica was made and a matching ferrule found. The blowstick has also been invisible whipped to seal a crack.

The pipes displayed a very ‘mellow’ tone — rich, subdued, much in the Edinburgh tradition.  They locked nicely and maintained a gentle but resonant sound with my Canning drone reeds.  There is lots of character here and an elegant looking instrument with refined tone.

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As shown, sticks 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 was made by Dave Atherton at C. E. Kron in 2003. The bores are Kron’s ‘Heritage,’ copied from a 1912 silver and ivory Henderson. The profiles are not Heritage, and seem to more closely resemble the Kron standard set.  The pipes are unique in one way:  the previous owner sent them the the David Naill company in England to have their aged imitation ivory mounts replace the originals.  The effect is quite stunning.

The pipes were in immaculate shape when I received them. They come with a Kron blackwood pipe chanter.

I played the pipes for about 30 minutes with my Canning reeds and they locked in very steadily with a full, bright tone.

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As shown, sticks and chanter 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

This is a Henderson bagpipe from the 1920s with two major alterations and two minor ones. One tenor drone bottom is not a Henderon but a Lawrie in imitation ivory from the 1930s. The bottom joint is a modern replica with the original mounts. The Chanter stock, blowpipe and blowpipe stock are replacement pieces mounted in imitation ivory. The  blowpipe and stock are polypenco-lined.

One odd feature about this set is that the two tenor top ferrules are quite different, yet the wood pieces are absolutely identical.

These pipes played very well for me with the robust, steady and seamless sound characteristic of Henderson bagpipes of this period.

The pipes are priced with the above-mentioned compromises in mind.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $3,150 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 $3,895  plus shipping

SOLD – This set came to me as an old Lawrie, but clearly had ‘P Henderson Ltd.’ stamped in each cord guide. The pipes were stripped and refinished. No cracks were found during this process. There are a couple of tiny dings on the rings, fairly normal for a pipe of this age. The wide projecting mounts suggest a manufacture date somewhere around the Great War. The blowstick may not be original.

This Henderson set played wonderfully with my Canning reeds. Robust, great harmonics, and steady as a rock.  Play these on any stage at any level.

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As shown, sticks 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