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Vintage/Remarkable Pipes
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Vintage Bagpipes from McGillivray Piping:
Carrying piping's past into the future |
return to pipetunes.ca
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This set of cocuswood pipes mounted in ivory and nickel was made by the Glasgow firm of Peter Henderson in the early 1900s. |
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 most of the great players play vintage pipes? Who was the greatest maker of all time? How did they do it with no electricity??
These questions and others continue to occupy the thoughts of vintage bagpipe afficionados.
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 repairs that have been undertaken.
If you're looking for an old instrument, I hope you'll trust me to help you as those who have written testimonials below have trusted me. If you're not looking for an old set, then please take the time to enjoy my photos and descriptions of bagpipe history below. If you have an old set you would like to part with, please email me. If you have any set of pipes you would like refurbished, please email my refurbisher, Thomas Doucet. Tell him I sent you.
Scroll down for vintage pipes currently available
Coming soon (currently in refurbishment or in transit):
~circa 1890 full ivory original/repro Duncan MacDougall
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About McGillivray Piping Vintage Bagpipes |
Working with vintage bagpipes is as much a hobby as a business for me. I enjoy the process of turning up old pipes and making sure they will be played for years to come. I think it is a good thing for piping. As such, I take great care in purchasing, examining and restoring old pipes.
My refurbisher, Thomas Doucet of Thomas Pipe Works, not only does masterful restorations, he has an eagle eye for examining 150-year-old wood and discovering replacement pieces and flaws that should be addressed before you play the pipes. If a set of pipes has a replacement or repaired piece, you will know about it before you buy.
It is important to note that repairs to cracked pieces are not the bad news one might think. The two greatest woods from which pipes can be made are ebony and cocuswood. Both are tonally superior to blackwood, but they are much less resilient, so it is becoming rare to find pre-1900 pipes in these woods without cracks. An old set that has not been played in years dries out and existing cracks close up and become almost invisible to the average buyer. Thus, when people say they bought a vintage set and a piece cracked when the pipes were played, chances are the crack was there when the pipes were bought. Playing them puts moisture back into the wood, and the crack opens up again. I make sure these faults are found before the pipes are sold or played.
"In short, I am delighted with the old pipes. They shall be fine company through the winter, as we prepare for the spring solo season, when I expect they will turn more than a few heads. Thanks again for your help with them, Jim. Their tone is everything you said it would be."
Eddie Selden, Seabrook, Texas
(circa 1905 silver and ivory cocuswood Hendersons)
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Two tenor bottoms from the same set. Several of the combed sections on the left have been invisibly whipped. The crack is invisible and the piece will not crack again. |
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These two ebony MacDougall tenor drone tops are from the same set. The piece on the left has had the bottom four combed sections invisibly whipped. Over time the slight sheen on the combing will disappear. |
While some cracks can be sealed, fixed and rendered nearly invisible by proper gluing, this is not always a reliable or long-lasting repair technique, particularly with cocuswood and ebony, which don't glue well.
I often have Mr. Doucet employ a traditional and very effective technique called invisible whipping to fix cracks. This entails turning down some of the combing groups on a lathe, gluing the crack, then wrapping it with strong, thin cord that binds that crack closed forever. A mixture of blackwood dust and glue is then applied over the whipping. When this dries, the repairs are turned down, re-combed and polished. The crack will not open again, and there is no effect on the tone of the pipes. The repaired combing is only slightly noticeable as different from the original. The technique is virtually foolproof.
While I have all sets examined carefully by Mr. Doucet for flaws and integrity, I keep my restorations to a minimum. Mounts are reafixed as required, and the wood is stripped and refinished as required. I do whatever is possible to retain all original pieces. I feel it is far preferable for the tonal and historical integrity of the pipes to repair a piece than to replace it.
It is still possible for an otherwise sound vintage pipe to crack once you start playing it. Again, while a disappointment, this is not a tragedy as the pipes can almost always be repaired to their original tone and steadiness. I cannot guarantee vintage pipes against new cracks, but if it happens I will work with you to see it repaired effectively.
If you have any questions about these techniques or would like to talk about vintage pipes available or some of the "coming soon" pipes listed above, please email me.
For more photos of vintage pipes and more information on them, you can go to Ron 'Ringo' Bowen's Bagpipe Museum site. Ron and I have pipe band connections that go back about 30 years and we consult quite closely about pipes.
"I wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the Robertson pipes you sent to me in Australia. We just had an annual event with 25 bands 20,000 spectators. I had no less than 20 reasonable pipers comment on the tone of the drones and the striking visual effect of my pipes. hanks again: thanks for your great service, thanks being the medium for me to experience the brilliance of my Robertsons!"
Simon Hobson, Kirrawee, Australia
(circa 1940s silver and ivory Robertsons)
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Henderson, 1953, full ivory with plain silver slides |
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This is a big, happy set of Hendersons made in 1953 and very well taken care of ever since. They are mounted fully in ivory and have hallmarked, plain silver slides. Oddly, for a set made during the Queen's coronation year, the hallmarks on the silver slides are 1900, so the slides must have been taken from another set and added at manufacture or later.
They were most recently owned by an American serviceman who played them in Iraq for some time before his retirement. He owned them since the early 1980s and originally acquired them from Jim McIntosh in Pittsburgh.
All the pieces are original, and the pipes are in superb condition, though they have some slight staining on the ivory here and there.
The sound is classic Henderson. They are very full and very steady and are easily reeded.
They have been refinished.
Not much more to say about them than that!
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $4,750, plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, Kron Medallist Blackwood Solo Chanter, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,450 plus shipping
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The "Culloden" bagpipe, laburnum, mounted in bone, nickel |
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If there has ever been a 'collector's item' offered on this site, this is it.
This description is taken from Ron Bowen's Bagpipe Museum:
These bagpipes had initially been attributed to John Ban MacKenzie by a reputable authority; however, Jeannie Campbell at the College of Piping recently indicated that she believes they are much older. Jeannie acknowledges specific similarities between this bagpipe and their own Culloden bagpipe. Authorities believe that the Culloden bagpipe predates the battle by about 50 years, meaning that it was probably made in the late 1600s or very early 1700s. Jeannie believes that this bagpipe probably dates from around the time of the battle, being 1746.
The pipes are made of laburnum, which grows in Scotland and was frequently used to make pipes prior to the 1840s. The mounts are bone and nickel, the latter certainly a later addition. There is a cord guide turned into the bass middle – a common trait in early bagpipes. The pipes have certainly been refinished at some point, and the bone has probably been repolished. They are in stunning condition.
The history of the pipes is impossible to authenticate. Was this pipe being played before the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the historic battle on Culloden Moors? More than one vintage expert has suggested that they may in fact be a pre-Victorian reproduction of a Culloden bagpipe. Even if that is the case, that likely makes them 175-200 years old – and perhaps much, much older.
Being laburnum, the pipes are very light in weight. The tone is smooth, and very mellow – just about the volume of a David Glen set, but not quite as buzzy. They tune fairly low on the pins, as one might expect from an instrument made when bagpipe pitch was much lower than it is today.
Whether you want to buy it or not, it's a remarkable specimen to see and play, and I'm pleased and proud to have had the opportunity.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $6,555, plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, chanter to be discussed, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $7,155 plus shipping
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Robertson, full ivory, 1941 |
James Robertson set a high standard for pipemaking throughout his long career, and pipemakers without exception speak in reverential terms about his craftsmanship. His design and manufacturing standards were so consistent that it can be difficult to attach dates to his pipes. However, this set at one time had a bill of sale that dated them 1941, though the previous owner (only the second in the life of the instrument) has since lost it.
This set is blackwood, fully mounted in ivory, and shows James Robertson's unmistakable mushroom-shaped projecting mounts and his characteristic scribe lines and beads on the ferrules. They are in pristine condition after refinishing, though the original blowstick has been replaced with a new delrin-lined blackwood one (original mount). Some of the mounts have some slight staining.
The set is classic Robertson – a full, rich sound and very steady.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $4,750, plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, Kron Medallist blackwood chanter, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,400 plus shipping
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Henderson, circa WW1, ebony, full ivory |
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This is a great old set of ebony Hendersons thought to age from WW1 or earlier. This dating has been estimated from the fact that the pipes are ebony, and patina of the ivory.
This set is mounted in full ivory and is in excellent condition with all original pieces, except for the blowpipe, which is new, but with the original projecting mount.The ivory was shellacked at some point, and the shellac stained the ivory, which is why it has turned so orange
One hairline crack was found in the middle bass joint when the pipes were being refinished, and the piece was invisibly whipped to protect the integrity of the piece.
The set plays like a classic, old Henderson: a big, seamless sound, dominating bass and great steadiness I played this set myself for about 8 weeks. They played superbly and suffered no ill effects from the moisture of playing.
There is some slight age staining in the ivory. There was also a layer of some kind of seasoning residue on some of the ivory. I've removed most of this, but you may see a bit of it still. For these photos, the pipes had recently come out of the almond oil bath, so the sheen of oil is still visible in places.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $4,555, plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, Kron Medallist chanter, Ezeedrone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,255 plus shipping
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Circa 1890s Henry Starck, cocuswood, full ivory |
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Henry Starck was part of a woodwind-making family that came to London from Germany in the early 1800s. Henry Senior began making pipes in 1889 after William Ross, the Queen's piper, convinced him there was a good market. His pipes would eventually became renowned and sought after for their tone and for a level of craftsmanship at which modern makers still marvel.
Starck stamped many of his sets. This cocuswood set is not stamped, but the projecting mounts are turned in Starck's very distinctive style, and these drone bottoms are identical in every respect (including the combing) to two drone pieces I have that are stamped "H. Starck" just below the upper projecting mount. These pipes are not as meticulously crafted as later Starck sets and are thought to be a very early example of Henry's work.
The pipes are all original, except for one replaced tenor drone bush, and they are in immaculate shape but for some slight staining on the ivory.
The tone is superb cocuswood: steady, buzzy and full, though not as robust as a Henderson set. The tuning chambers are perfectly even and the tenor drones tune in a perfect position above the hemp line.
The cocuswood gives the pipes a deep, reddish-brown hue with great old-school character.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only (no chanter) CAD $4,135 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne Bag, bag cover, cords, poly chanter, drone reeds to be discussed)
CAD $4,735 plus shipping
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Circa late 1800s stamped David Glen in cocuswood |
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David Glen was a giant of piping. He was a prolific and significant compiler and publisher of pipe music, and the leading Edinburgh maker of bagpipes. His pipes are prized for their rich, steady tone, and stamped sets are historical icons. His meticulous craftsmanship is the envy of pipemakers even today.
This set is cocuswood with button mounts and nickel ferrules and rings. The David Glen stamp appears at the top of the bass drone stock.
The tone is vintage Glen: rich and remarkably steady. This set is more reserved than the Henderson or MacDougall sound, but is fuller than most Glens, perhaps due to the cocuswood.
This set is flawless but for one very effective repair in one tenor top. A crack that begins under the ferrule and extends above it has been 'whipped' under the ferrule with the addition of a brass ferrule under the nickel ferrule. The crack has been sealed with glue. This repair existed when the previous owner acquired the pipes in 1986, and the pipes have been played ever since with no change in the status of the repair. The seam of nickel ferrule opened at some point, but it too has never budged.
The finish in light varnish is also the pre-1986 finish and is in immaculate condition. No refurbishment was required on this bagpipe. This set was recently removed from an almond oil bath, resulting in some reflection in the photographs.
This is a lovely David Glen set with a sweet sound, and with no concerns for travellers or buyers worried about ivory mounts.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $3,945, plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, Kron Medallist blackwood chanter, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $4,595 plus shipping
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Just a quick note to let you know that I set up the MacDougalls and have given them a good play. Thank you. Thank you so very much. They are the best pipes I've ever had the privilege of playing! An awesome, room filling, sound! They are absolutely outstanding, Jim, and I'm simply over the moon with them. A classic MacDougall pipe in every respect, just as you said they'd be.
Alec Patterson, Campbellford, Ontario
(1890s ebony/ivory MacDougalls)
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Ebony Roberstons, nickel, casein, circa 1920s |
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James Robertson's pipemaking exhibits a quality of wood and craftsmanship almost unequalled from the 1920s to the 1950s. This flat-combed set is made in ebony, allowing his Henderson-like tonal qualities and steadiness to shine through what was at the time one of his lower-end models.
All pieces are original save for two ferrules which have been replaced with period matches. At some point the beads on two of the casein ring caps were removed. These have been rebuilt and antiqued. Small cracks under two ferrules have been lightly whipped and covered by the ferrules. Invisible whipping has been performed on one combing section on one tenor top.
The slight sheen on the wood in the photos is the result of the pipes having recently having had a week-long almond oil bath. They weren't perfectly dry yet.
Casein was an imitation ivory material used in the early part of the 1900s. As it ages it becomes chalky and off-white, but it never turns orange as later imitation ivory material did.
Ebony is tonally superior to blackwood and produces a richness and steadiness blackwood cannot equal. These ebony Robertsons are a great choice for someone on a budget looking for a big, classic tone that would fare well at any level of piping. The lack of real ivory may be a plus for pipers worried about travelling with ivory-mounted pipes.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only with, no chanter
CAD $3,250 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne bag, Kron Medallist blackwood chanter, bag cover, cords, Canning drone reeds)
CAD $3,850 plus shipping.
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"The MacDougalls are fantastic! They really do lock into tune and stay there. It's amazing. They are everything you said they were and much more. I'm very happy with them. The whipping really is invisible! I keep forgetting which tenor top and bottom was repaired. If I look very closely I can tell, but only because of the shine, and even that is fading. In a month, I won't be able to tell any more. Those repairs are unbelievable. For a set of 110-plus year old pipes, they look nearly new. Amazing. Thanks again for all your help, honesty and service."
Stephen Coyne, Cincinnati, Ohio
(1890s ebony/ivory MacDougalls)
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1956 full-ivory mounted Hardie, with original chanter |
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The great Bob Hardie was one of the most successful pipemakers and pipe majors ever, and this is a set from the prime of his career. They had only one owner who purchased them new in 1956 from Bob's Glasgow shop.
When I acquired this set I had them shipped from the original owner's grand daughter directly to my refurbisher. He took one look and sent them straight to me, saying that aside from some staining on several of the ivory pieces like the tenor mounts shown in the photos, the pipes look like they were transported by time machine from 1956 to the present. Mint condition.
Hardie pipes are often described as producing a "mellow" drone sound, not as subdued as the old David Glen pipes, but not robust like Hendersons. They are extremely steady, with a good, solid bass sound. The trueness of the tuning chambers usually found in these older Hardies is a testament to Bob Hardie's commitment to prime, well seasoned blackwood.
The pipes come with the original Hardie pipe chanter from 1956, one of the most popular, versatile and best loved chanters of all time.
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Email me about this set.
Sticks only with chanter
CAD $3,150 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne bag, bag cover, cords, Ezeedrone drone reeds)
CAD $3,650 plus shipping.
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"Thought I'd send you a little note to say hello and update you on the ebony Robertsons I bought last summer. They are absolutely brilliant! They're loud as all get out too! They adjusted easily and nicely to playing in the band circle after a few months of tinkering and getting them set up for my solos. In short, I love them! Thanks for all your help with the pipe purchasing process last summer. I really appreciate it, especially as I came out of it with a superlative instrument, which is why I knew I should come to you in the first place. You are the best!"
Will Barton, Toronto/Halifax
(circa 1920s ebony Robertsons)
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Circa 1890s David Glen, cocuswood, full ivory, brass slides, stamped
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Full ivory David Glen pipes are not common. These sticks are cocuswood – David Glen's favourite wood. The previous owner of this pipe lived in a dry climate in the US, and after he acquired the instrument several of the ivory ferrules cracked. He worked with an ivory conservator and made quite expert repairs that have held firmly now for many years.
The bass drone stock and the blowpipe also cracked. He inserted a marine glue that remains malleable after it dries, and these repairs have never moved. He also inserted a thin brass tube into the blowstick to further reinforce it. The repairs are visible, but not obivous, and since they have remained stable for decades they have not been altered.
The tuning chambers have brass slides, a fairly common practice for David Glen.
The David Glen stamp is barely visible on each of the tuning pins.
Glen was a meticulous craftsman, and his manufacturing standards were very consistent. As a result, it can be difficult to date his pipes. The age of the ivory and the fact that these pipes are cocuswood suggest that they were made prior to 1900.
David Glen drones are really a treat, and if you're looking for a reliable and remarkably steady set of drones with a rich, buzzy, but not overwhelming tone, you can't go wrong with them. They are easy to reed and blend superbly with the chanter. It's a bright, cheerful drone sound.
These pipes required no additional restoration work. They spent several days in an almond oil bath.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $3,250 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne bag, bag cover, cords, Kron Medallist blackwood chanter, Ezeedrone drone reeds):
CAD $3,950 plus shipping
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Lawrie, circa 1920s, in ebony, nickel |
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Lawrie drones of this ilk in ebony may be one of the most common vintage pipes available today, though it is uncommon to find one so free of major faults. They were likely made in the 1920s, though this dating could vary by a decade either way. The bells, cord guides, projecting mounts and tapered nickel ferrules are classic Lawrie.
This set has been refinished and there is invisible whipping beneath the top three combs of the bass drone stock. A couple of the ferrule tenons showed some slight checking, so these were whipped under the ferrules and will cause no probelms. Blackwood hemp stops were added to all four tuning pins.
The set is typical Lawrie in fullness of sound – a big Henderson/Lawrie wall of sound. The ebony material provides a level of steadiness and richness unequalled by blackwood of the same era.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only CAD $3,750 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne Bag, bag cover, cords, Kron Medallist chanter, drone reeds to be discussed)
CAD $4,450 plus shipping
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Circa 1940s Starck in blackwood, full ivory, nickel slides |
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This set of 1940s Henry Starck pipes comes from the estate of Captain John MacLellan, who purchased them in Edinburgh in the 1970s. Henry Starck came from a German woodwind making family that immigrated to London in the early 1800s. Henry began making pipes in 1889 and the company continued into the mid-1900s. The company was renown for its meticulous craftsmanship and instruments that can stand up against the best pipes in the business.
This set is blackwood, and all of the mounts are ivory. The tuning slides are nickel. It is very likely that the pipes underwent a cosmetic refurb just before Captain MacLellan purchased them, and it's possible that the ivory ferrules were added at that time as the ferrules do not look as old as the projecting mounts and ring caps. The pipes were probably refinished then as well.
All pieces are original. One projecting mount broke in transit, but the break was perfectly clean and it has been glued back into place with just a light line visible at the join.
The tone is full and steady and similar to a set of modern Naills. This may be no coincidence, as Naill founder Les Cowell trained at Starck's in the 1950s. The pipes are in virtually new condition.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only (no chanter)
CAD $4,255 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne Bag, bag cover, cords, Kron Medallist blackwood chanter, Ezee drone reeds
CAD $4,975 plus shipping
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"The vintage pipes have arrived! I have unwrapped them and they seem to be in perfect condition. I also assembled them and played them for a few seconds. Everything is working perfectly and you seem to have done a splendid job of setting them up."
Tommy Farnqvist, Linkoping, Sweden
(1911-1919 Gillander/MacDougalls) |
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WW1-era ebony Henderson, mounted in nickel, casein |
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If you're looking classic ebony-Hendersons without all the expensive bling, this may be your set.
This Henderson set is indeed ebony, likely made between 1910 and 1925, with nickel ferrules and casein rings and caps. Casein was an early imitation ivory in use around this time and very popular later on with the Robertson pipemaking firm.
The pipes play a robust, rich and very steady Henderson tone.
All drone pieces are original and in perfect shape. The stocks are all replacements, made with ebony in October and with matching nickel ferrules. Though the stocks look quite brown in the photos, within a year or so they will darken up to match the wood in the drones.
The pipes have been refinished. There is one odd black stain on the bass ring cap. Otherwise, this is a very sweet set of early Hendersons.
Email me about this set.
As pictured, sticks only.
CAD $3,350 plus shipping
Set up to play - Ross or Bannatyne Bag, poly chanter, Ezeedrone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $3,950 plus shipping
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"These pipes are a revelation to me. I've heard pipes described poetically before; about ease of play; about drones "locking in" and staying tuned, and so on. But I never really understood until now. These pipes WANT to be in tune. They're easy to tune and they stay that way. I'm not the steadiest blower (yet) but these drones stay solid. The sound is beautiful and the vibration on the shoulder is great. They are everything you said they were."
Bruce Landay, Andover, Massachusetts
(early cocuswood, likely Thows)
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Lawrie, circa 1900-1920, in ebony, ivory and celluloid mounted
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This set came from the estate of Captain John A. MacLellan in Edinburgh and is a lovely but curious instrument. The sticks are ebony, and the profiles are early Lawrie. The two tenors don't match exactly. They certainly came out of the same shop, but maybe not quite at the same time. It's possible at some point in its history, a number of the mounts were replaced, resulting in, for example, ferrules that are not typically Lawrie in design.
As has been noted often on this page, celluloid was a brilliant ivory substitute, complete with a grain and the right hue. The projecting mounts on this set appear to be ivory, as do most if not all of the ferrules. It can be difficult to tell, such is the quality of celluloid as an ivory copy.
It is possible that the chanter stock is a replacement, though the mount is original. The blowstick stock is also a replacement, including the mount.
The projecting mounts were made in two pieces: a method used by early pipemakers in order to save the wider pieces of ivory only for the widest part of the projecting mounts. The seams are visible in the photos, though the joins are solid. This implies an earlier rather than a later date. John MacLellan purchased these pipes from the Glen shop in Edinburgh and was told they were circa 1900.
The tone is rock steady, but not quite as full as the typical Lawrie. It is not a quiet sound by any means, but more toward the MacDougall than the Henderson/Lawrie sound. They may have been custom-bored for a client wanting a more refined sound. The pipes are quite distinctive in appearance and very lightweight to carry.
They are free of cracks and needed no refurbishment.
Email me about this set.
Sticks only
CAD $3,850 plus shipping
Set up to play (Ross or Bannatyne Bag, bag cover, cords, Kron blackwood chanter, drone reeds to be discussed)
CAD $4,550 plus shipping
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