Greig Canning, professional piper and member of the Grade 1 World Champions Inveraray & District Pipe Band, has acquired a vintage set of Robertson pipes and now has to sell another of the sets he owns. The pipes are David Naill and Co DN5H bagpipes. This is an opportunity for a PP reader to buy a high quality instrument at a reasonable price.
Greig writes: ‘The bagpipe is mounted in fully hallmarked .925 Sterling silver and hand engraved with the iconic and limited-edition Acanthus leaf engraving pattern. There is a space on the bass drone stock for the new owner to have their name engraved.
‘The mounts are made from Naill’s beautiful ‘aged’ imitation ivory. This set has wonderful tone and stability. I personally own two of these exact sets, but have recently obtained an heirloom set of Robertson bagpipes which forces me to part with one of the sets of Naills.
‘This set has been played by me with Grade 1 World Champions Inveraray and District Pipe Band, and also at the Northern Meeting and Argyllshire Gathering solo contests.’
For more information on Greig’s pipes, check out our Online Ads page here. Selling items via this page costs £25. Customers are guaranteed to reach thousands of readers worldwide.
[wds id=”2″]Thanks to everyone who contacted us regarding our story at the weekend about the oldest pipe band in the US. To be fair to Pipe Major Matt McKee of the Chicago Stock Yard Kiltie Pipe Band, he did state that his band was the oldest continually operating pipe band.
We are not sure if that changes things but would like to highlight the following messages.
Kevin Kelley: ‘The Clan Macleay pipe band might beg to differ. They have some compelling evidence of ongoing existence since before WWI.’
Thanks for that Kevin we have recently highlighted Michael Hubbard’s book on the Clan Macleay. You can read about it here. The book can be bought here.
Reader Alex Stormont: ‘Apologies, but the Clan MacAlpine Bagpipe Band of Rockford, Illinois, was formed in 1912, and has been performing ever since, making them 109 years old!’
Donald Dixon: ‘The Manchester Pipe Band, Manchester, CT. USA, has been operating continuously since 1915. I believe the Worcester Pipe Band, Worcester MA, and Schenectady Pipe Band, Schenectady, NY, have been in existence since 1916.’
We would welcome any further information and research on this.
The oldest continuously functioning pipe band in the U.S. is the Holyoke Caledonian Kiltie Pipe Band formed in 1910. The first Pipe Major was Bob Ramsay. The second Pipe Major was Wilson Mathieson. The third Pipe Major was me. I still have one of the original kilts. The band was undefeated in North America for a period of more than ten years in the first half of the twentieth century. Both the Manchester Pipe Band and the Worcester Kiltie Pipe Bands were formed and taught by members of the Holyoke band. I was the first person to play in all three of those legendary bands from New England.
Yonkers Kilty Pipe Band, Yonkers, NY (now defunct), 1911
The Manchester Pipe Band (of which i was a former PM) was formed in 1914. The Holyoke Pipe Band (Holyoke, MA), which i believe was part of the genesis of the MPB, was formed in 1910. https://www.holyokecaledonians.com/