The joys and dangers of Ebay pipes

[OC Richard]

Not cheap at $1700 but a lovely set of old chalice-top Lawrie pipes.

I think these were more or less their basic/introductory model in the 1950s and 1960s, as I recall they called them "antique style".

I used to have a set of these back in the late 1970s that I got for $150. They had been sitting in a music shop for many years, with no takers.

The general consensus amongst pipers back then was that these were inferior pipes, and old used ones were sold very cheaply indeed. A local High School bought around a dozen sets direct from Lawrie back in the 1960s for their beginning pipers.

That all changed when Alistair Gillies started playing a set! Suddenly the prices skyrocketed.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/R-G-Lawrie-...p2056016.l4276

[OC Richard]

I love Dunbar pipes, but not a fan of any polypenco pipes.

For those who do want a great-playing set of indestructible poly pipes, here's a Dunbar set with a $350 opening bid.

Dunbar has long used a very strong plastic for their imitation ivory mounts, so it's not just the black poly parts that will withstand abuse. (McCallum switched from the brittle stuff they had always used to the Dunbar stuff a few years ago.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14558028408...ndition=4%7C10

[WalesLax]

Following - I have a similar set of Dunbar’s (all black), that I rarely play anymore, and I am curious to see how much these will sell for.

Rob

I love Dunbar pipes, but not a fan of any polypenco pipes.

For those who do want a great-playing set of indestructible poly pipes, here's a Dunbar set with a $350 opening bid.

Dunbar has long used a very strong plastic for their imitation ivory mounts, so it's not just the black poly parts that will withstand abuse. (McCallum switched from the brittle stuff they had always used to the Dunbar stuff a few years ago.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14558028408...ndition=4%7C10

[OC Richard]

This amazes me! A set of David Naill pipes half-mounted in hallmarked Sterling Silver for a fraction it would cost new, Ebay auction closing in 30 minutes with zero bids.

Yes one imitation ivory mount is chipped. If that bothered somebody they could get that mount replaced for a fraction of the money they saved.

I would snap them up but I already have enough pipes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20467931764...ndition=4%7C10

[OC Richard]

1961 Grainger & Campbell pipes in superb condition for $650 no bidders.

My old Pipe Major played a silver & ivory G&C set of that vintage. They sounded great, and in solos the judges always complimented them.

Yet nowadays they're shunned for some reason.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22602932750...ndition=4%7C10

[OC Richard]

And speaking of undervalued pipes, here's a 1985 Kintail set for $525 no bidders.

My current Pipe Major plays a lovely set of silver & ivory Kintails of this vintage and they sound great. That Bass drone fills the room!

Yes one stock is cracked. That sort of thing never bothers me, in fact one of the vintage sets I now play came with no stocks at all. I picked up a set of vintage ABW stocks and I was good to go.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27636287222...ndition=4%7C10

[OC Richard]

This set is amazing, not in a good way.

It's the Frankenpipes of all Frankenpipes.

Quite a bit to unpack, but happily the seller has provided lots of clear photos.

There's one Lawrie stock, and the chanter is Lawrie, missing its sole.

The Bass bottom looks vintage, as does one of the Tenors.

But most of the set is Pakistani.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12645703088...ndition=4%7C10

[OC Richard]

Here's one of those grab-your-popcorn things, a vintage silver & ivory set.

The sliver looks like Frederick Narborough/Dalman & Narborough, but without a closeup of the hallmarks who can say.

It could even be non-hallmarked German Silver mounts.

As to maker I don't know. The ivory projecting mounts look big but perhaps not Robertson big.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20479454361...ndition=4%7C10

[Toxpert]

Note, the seller is basing his identification using the Henderson stamp on the practice chanter.
What the picture show is that this set of pipes are non-Henderson pipes from when the company jobbed out work. This was at the end of Henderson prior to the family selling the company to RG Hardie. These sets pop up every now and then.
Buyers get all upset when they find out their investment is not a real Henderson.
This set has the Lawrie attributes that Ringo points out and illustrates on his museum website. Look for When a Henderson Isn’t a Henderson.
The beading and combing pattern on this set harkens directly to Lawrie. As for tone…I will leave that for others to comment.

For the person looking for a vintage Henderson set of pipes…this is not the item to purchase. This was a bad period for Henderson at that point in time.

[OC Richard]

I heard back from the seller who sent me a large number of great photos.

The drones are stamped "Henderson" just under the cord guides (just as Kintail did).

The silver is fully hallmarked, "F.N" (Frederick Narborough) with the Birmingham anchor, English lion, and Date Letter for 1964.

I'll guess this set goes for well over $3,000.

According to Highland Bagpipe Makers Greig Sharpe was the shop manager from 1961 to 1971.

The book says that when Greig left to found Kintail in 1971 pipemaking at Henderson ceased.

According to the book Henderson sold pipes made by Lawrie from 1971 to 1973, at which time RG Hardie bought out Henderson.