West Coast Historical Militaria Show

[OC Richard]

The full title is "West Coast Historical Militaria Collectors Show" which needs some work.

Anyhow I did some piping.

Here I am with a WWI Seaforth Highlander, well showing several differences between WWI and WWII kit. He's wearing the 1908 Service Dress and the P14 leather equipment, I'm wearing the 1937 pattern Battle Dress blouse and the P37 web equipment. (Normally there would be pouches in front but pipers usually didn't wear them.)



And playing my period pipes; yes the pipes are dressed in Black Watch tartan but I'm wearing a Royal Stewart kilt.



The pipes were made in 1945 by Starck, London

[tokareva]

You both look great.

[grizzbass]

really nice shots. I also enjoy the lessons.

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

My next purchase will have to be a web Webley holster- WWII photos show pipers typically armed with them.

This excellent WWII watercolour portrait wells shows the appearance of a Black Watch piper on active campaign



Here's a WWII image of Black Watch pipers. I believe it's a black & white photo which has been coloured later. I have some reservations about some of the colours they chose, namely the hose and sporran badge (which should be khaki and white metal respectively) and also colouring the drone-cords as Royal Stewart (they should be Black Watch, like the bag-cover).

[Blupiper]

Richard:

Those pipes have a very elegant profile. The almost remind me of the modern ones being turned out by McLellan. Where do they fit on the continuum of bold Hendersons to more subdued Glens? Good impression, too.


JMB

[Mike S]

Richard:

Those pipes have a very elegant profile. The almost remind me of the modern ones being turned out by McLellan. Where do they fit on the continuum of bold Hendersons to more subdued Glens? Good impression, too.


JMB

I think that MacLellan produces the aesthetically best looking pipes being made today. They sound as good as they look too! If I ever get tired of my vintage Henderson, Lawrie, and Hardie sets, I would definitely purchase a stand of MacLellan Traditional design pipes.

[Terry Searl]

You both look great.

I did reply to your note of the other day ......I hope you got it......cheers

[OC Richard]

Those pipes have a very elegant profile. The almost remind me of the modern ones being turned out by McLellan.

To me those drones look Glen-like. Old Glens had extremely elegant button mounts, not much like the buttons mounts made by modern makers.

Here's an old Glen set, you can see how complex the "button" mounts are. There's the "flanked bead" motif that recurs on various places on Highland pipes:



A very old set showing similar motifs but done in bone or ivory



And here are my Starcks:

Where do they fit on the continuum of bold Hendersons to more subdued Glens?

They're pretty much off that continuum! I've owned several Lawries from various periods, WWI Hendersons, and 1900 Glens, and all had a big bold tone. These Starcks have a rather lower volume, but are rich in harmonics, a complex sophisticated tone. They work at modern high pitch just fine, but I'm playing them with a McCallum B flat (466) chanter that I ordered with the big old-school sole for the WWII look.

Good impression, too.

Thanks! Sorry for the appearance of my puttees, I put them on quickly and didn't get them straight.

[tripleblessed]

Thanks, OC. As always, informative, and a treat to boot.