For Sale: Vintage Set of Pipes

Brian MacDonald, son of double Gold Medallist, composer and teacher William M. MacDonald, is offering an historic set of pipes which once belonged to his father.

Brian writes: The bagpipes, might have been made by Thow and are pre-1900 as they were originally presented to Colour Sergeant (later Captain) W.H. MacDonald of Kingussie by the officers of the Badenoch Co. 1st Volunteer Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders in April 1900.

The silver plaque stating the above, is on the pipe box. The blowstick is a later addition as is the tartan bag cover, tassels and Alexander Glen silver soled pipe chanter. The engraved silver ring on the blowstick stock was probably added later. Otherwise everything else is original.

The pipes were given to my father, the late William M. MacDonald (Inverness), by Captain MacDonald when he had lessons with him in Kingussie, Badenoch, and to this end, my father composed a reel for him. It was named after Captain MacDonald’s home ‘Fraoch Eilean’ and it is published in my father’s recently issued book of pipe music.


Check out these slides…..

ferrules
pipes
drone top
ring cap
plaque

The pipes have been restored and have a beautiful, melodic sound. I’m pretty sure, but I’m not an expert, that the wood is African blackwood and the projecting mounts are certainly ivory.

They were in bits in the box when I found them after dad passed away and I had them fully restored by a man by the name of Henry Doe in Herefordshire, a professional woodwind instrument repairer. There are no cracks otherwise Henry would have told me.

The full restoration was done by Henry around eight years ago including the wood having had a period of settlement, a new synthetic bag tied in, after which I played them occasionally along with another two sets in my possession. 

Henry reckoned they were Thow as did Hugh Cheape, the former bagpipe expert at the National Museums of Scotland. 

The only hallmarking is on the added ferrule on the blowstick stock. The original silver ferrules are not hallmarked.

Please do not hesitate to contact me on +44 (0) 7980 999114 or rugmac50@hotmail.com for any further enquiries. Price on application.


Got Something to Sell?

Pipes, chanters, uniforms? Searching for that old copy of a magazine or a fancy dirk? Well, the place to fulfil your every piping or drumming wish is here at PP Online Ads. For only £30 (£25 overseas) you can place an advertisement in the web magazine that will reach thousands of potential customers. Include photographs at no extra charge. Buy your ad here then email your content to pipingpress@gmail.com. Ads will remain in situ for a minimum of one month.

12 thoughts on “For Sale: Vintage Set of Pipes

  1. Travelling with ivory pipes not always a problem. I purchased an set of ebony and ivory pipes in Canada and then carried them with me back to the Philippines. I had to get Cites export documentation in Canada and Cites import documentation before I first left the Philippines to Canada to pick up the pipes. It involved time to fill out and get documentation processed but otherwise no problems at all with customs either at Toronto or Manila airports with just a quick glance by them at both places. But a point to watch is the expiry date in the documentation. My travel got delayed after documents were first issued and I had to get it re-issued. But again only issue was form filling. All officials handling documents in both countries werevvery understanding and helpful.

    1. I was considering selling an old blowpipe with ivory parts, sending from Thailand to Australia. I contacted the Thailand office for CITES certification. They quickly responded with a flat out “No certificates are given under any circumstances, antique musical instrument or not.” So don’t bring anything to Thailand with ivory.

  2. I have a set of Gillanders Mcleod that I purchased back in 1988. Thry were owned by somone From Alabama; I went out of the country numerous times with the Military before retiring. Just turned 80 , am wondering if it safe to make one more trip out of country. I am hoping to leave them to my Grands. For information, I only play them for me enjoyment. With the ones who were involved and knowledge of them are deceased I can’t verify when , where, or how I got them. If someone is interested about them , let me know. The Ivory piece on chanter mouth blowpipe
    split a few years back

    1. I bought them actually and had them directly shipped to New York City with them passing customs with ease. Furthermore, I’ve not only travelled internationally with this set but in the past 40 years have done so with past silver and ivory sets and have never been asked or bothered by customs.

      They don’t care.

    2. Thanks; I saw a couple of years back of some lads who
      traveled from NY to Canada and back, but customs had nabbed them. That got my attention. I understand they were returned, because they had belonged to their dads or relative who had them awhile. True or not , I don’t know

  3. I have a large collection of CDs,LPs,and tapes for sale .If interested or if you know of someone who may be contact by email or phone 1 519 472 9895. Thanks

    1. Do you have a list of the LPs if still available?
      Basically there are a number of piping LPs/EPs that I would be interested in if you have any. These are:
      Robert Reid – Piobaireachd (2 vols.)
      Pipe Major John Wilson – Visits the British Columbia Pipers’ Association (or “Bagpipe Solos”, which is another version of the same LP) (Canadian LP)
      Muirhead & Sons Ltd Pipe Band – Champions du Monde (French LP)
      Any of the Malcolm Ross Macpherson – Binneas is Boreraig series of LPs.

    2. Hello,

      I am interested in a CD “Massacre of Culloden” by the Red Heckle Band. Would you have this?

    1. I believe that is correct. My understanding of the current rules is that worked ivory products transferred from one individual to another in pursuit of financial gain after February 25, 2014 are ineligible for a CITES permit in the United States.

      The result is that while the ivory could otherwise be legal to own (it was taken from the wild and imported into US prior to the enactment of the CITES regulations, or later, in accordance with them), you will not be able to obtain the documentation necessary to establish that.

      In theory, such ivory could be confiscated within the US. Traveling internationally with it or attempting to ship it across the US border would be extremely inadvisable, in my opinion.

  4. Don’t sell these ivory pipes to anyone in the USA or any other country that signed the 2014 ESA outlawing any sale of ivory products it out proper CITES certificate.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *