Pipes and chanters previously owned by P/M Robert Reid earned over £10,000 following an auction in Glasgow yesterday
The main set, almost certainly that pictured above being played by the master piper (r). Rubber bands on the drone slides can still be seen on the picture below.
This set attracted interest from around the world after it was featured on Piping Press pre-sale. It sold for £6,000. The name of the buyer was not revealed by auction house McTears.
There were six lots in total including full sets of pipes, a ‘child’s set’, two ‘small’ sets, and a box of miscellaneous joints and chanters.
An imitation ivory set went for £1,400; a wood-mounted set for £550; a mixed imitation/ivory set for £800; a Lawrie half set for £300; a set of miniatures for £220 and a box of chanters and miscellaneous joints for £1,300.
The £6,000 pipe description read: ‘The chanter marked for P Henderson of Glasgow, in turned hardwood and with silver sole, hallmarked for Glasgow 1914, the drones with thistle engraved white metal and simulated ivory mounts, along with a practice chanter, with leather case.
‘Note from vendor: The bagpipes included in this sale were either made by and/or were the property of Pipe Major Robert Reid (1895-1965), 15 times winner at Cowal Highland Games, 16 times winner at Bridge of Allan, multiple wins at Oban, Inverness, Skye, Braemar, Aboyne, London, Crieff, etc. Signed – Robert Reid Bower (grandson of P/M Robert Reid) and Barbara J Paterson (grand-daughter of P/M Robert Reid).’
Reader Yahya Hussein commented: ‘Now that the auction has concluded I would like to say that these pipes are absolutely the only ones he competed with all those years from after the Great War and till his death in 1965.
‘I had studied and looked at no less than 15 close-up photographs of Robert Reid playing these pipes, along with the auction house photos and the one on Piping Press [top].
‘The details and profile of pipe are identical. I draw your attention to the blowstick mouthpiece which is the same one as in the photo as well as all the other 15 photos I’ve seen. The ONLY difference are the two tenor stocks which not are the famous three bass stocks he had sported in the 15 other photos I’ve seen him with.
‘However I hazard to speculate that he changed these after he retired from competition and saw no need for them. Also the tenor stocks match the other pieces of the pipe exactly.
‘Since I am in Sweden, and haven’t seen the pipe up close, I can only gather from the profile that it’s either a Glen or MacDougall. I’m convinced this set are the ones he won his prizes on and a highly desirable set to own, especially as a competing player.
‘I heartily recommend you to listen to them on the Robert Reid archive which is on the Piobaireachd Society website. They really sound quite rich.’
Readers might also like to check out this recording of strathspeys and reels from the PP Audio Archive where there are several examples of Reid’s light music performance.
