On display in New York’s Metropolitan Museum is a set of pipes by Peter Henderson. The display commentary reads: ‘Piob mhór (Highland Bagpipes). Peter Henderson before 1940. Cocus wood, ivory, silver, leather and cloth. Paul and Barbara Krieger Gift, 1996.
‘Peter Henderson’s workshop was a celebrated maker of Highland bagpipes during the 20th century and a gathering place for noted pipers. The Highland bagpipes tradition draws upon the instrument’s long history in the hands of both military musicians and travelling minstrels [sic]. The expansion of the British empire ensured the global spread of this icon of Scottish identity and music.’
Though in need of a bit of a polish, and rather dark for cocus wood, the pipe looks as though it would be a top set in the hands of the right player. No sign of any cracks. The silver is beautifully engraved. The original chanter has a finely turned ivory sole and bowl. This pipe would fetch a serious price in today’s market.
I always feel quality instruments should be out there being played rather than hung as a museum piece, but I suppose we should be grateful that such an august institution as the Met affords our national instrument due status and recognition.
That might also be the view of the fiddlers – there’s a beautiful looking Strad hanging in a glass case not far from the pipes.
Thanks to Gerard McStubi, Brooklyn Games organiser, for the tour and guidance.
Medals at Auction
Coming up for sale on Oct 7 in London are historic medals belonging to a Donald MacKay. Going by the information below, perhaps nephew of the famous Angus? The blurb reads: ‘Donald Mackay, late 78th Highlanders, served as personal Piper to HRH The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)
‘Perth Highland Society Silver Prize Medal the reverse engraved ‘1st Prize for Best Dressed Highlander won by Donald Mackay, Piper to Sir George Macpherson Grant, of Ballendalloich [sic], Bart.
‘A Highland Society of London Champion Medal, gilt, the reverse engraved ‘The Champion Medal of the Highland Society of London awarded to Donald Mackay, Piper to Ballindalloch, Inverness, the best of prize Pibrock [sic] Players 1872’, with top brooch bar.’
I’m not great at auctions, but it seems that the medals, plus two others belonging to Donald, are on at £800-£1,200. The gilt reference indicates that the Gold Medal was always gilt and not solid gold as sometimes thought by modern-day recipients.
There’s more on the recipient: ‘Donald Mackay was born in Kensington Palace, London, on 26 June 1845, the son of Donald MacKay, piper to H.R.H. the Duke of Sussex, and was educated at the Royal Caledonian School, Holloway, London.
‘He attested as a boy soldier in the 78th Highlanders on 21 October 1859, aged 14, and was appointed a Piper in the Regiment on 3 December 1861, but purchased his discharge on 3rd January, 1862.
‘He subsequently accepted the position of Piper to Sir George MacPherson Grant, Bt., of Ballindalloch, before entering the service of the Royal Household in 1874, being appointed Piper to HRH the Prince of Wales (later H.M. King Edward VII).
‘Wherever the Prince of Wales went, MacKay was part of the party. On one occasion, at a ball at Balmoral Castle, Queen Victoria, being most observant, noted a ‘very fine horn’ which adorned MacKay’s Highland dress.
‘Inquiring about it, MacKay explained to Her Majesty that the horn had been a gift from her to his father many years previously at Buckingham Palace where she enjoyed his piping.
‘Upon another meeting with the Queen at Balmoral, Her Majesty confided to MacKay that her earliest recollections of the bagpipes were hearing his father play them at Kensington Palace when she was a child.’
This last doesn’t chime with the accepted chronology of pipers at the Royal Court in London, with Angus MacKay Sovereign’s Piper from 1843.
Donald MacKay died from blood poisoning in London on 23 December 1893; the wreath sent to his funeral by the Prince of Wales bore the inscription, ‘The Prince will miss his sturdy Piper’.
In the same sale is a Queen Victoria long service medal belonging to William Ross, her piper. The blurb: ‘The important Victoria Faithful Service Medal awarded to Mr William Ross, late Pipe-Major, The Black Watch, personal Piper to Her Majesty Queen Victoria during thirty-seven years 1854-91; his death was ‘deplored by the Queen’ who sent a wreath of yellow immortelles, bearing the inscription, ‘A mark of regard from Victoria RI’.
The medal is complete with original tartan ribbon and is yours if you have a spare £4-5,000.
Thanks to Clive Douglas and Iain McGeachie for their input on this story. More on the auctions here
London Recital: This now a sell-out. All 95 tickets priced £85 have gone. The promoters have also secured sponsorship from Scotland’s remotest brewery at Inverie in Knoydart. Crates of their ‘Wilderness in a Bottle’ beer are on their way to the capital this weekend in time for the show next Friday, 2 October, at St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, London.
It promises to be an evening of exceptional piping with Callum Beaumont, Ben Duncan and the Scots Guards providing the music.
Further information is available at www.thelondonrecital.com. Anyone interested in attending, supporting or becoming involved with the event can email: contact@thelondonrecital.com.
