The joys and dangers of Ebay pipes

**OC Richard** · 1st January 23, 05:03 AM

A genuine RG Lawrie set, probably a very nice player, for under $700US.

I would jump on these, I'm a Lawrie fan, but I already have a nice 1930s Lawrie set.

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

**stickman** · 18th February 23, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

A genuine RG Lawrie set, probably a very nice player, for under $700US.

I would jump on these, I'm a Lawrie fan, but I already have a nice 1930s Lawrie set.

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

About fifty years ago my brother was telling a guy he worked with that I played the pipes. The guy replied with '' there is a bagpipe at my mothers house but I don't think it's any good. The bag is rotten and the metal has all turned black also the other parts have gone yellow". The only thing I could think of was silver and ivory. I asked my brother to ask if I could buy them. Kept asking him if he had asked his workmate. He hadn't. By the time he finally got around to asking about the pipes it was too late. Seems like his mother was cleaning house and tossed the pipes in the trash. When I heard that I was so upset I was almost sick. I was really upset with my brother for not asking if I could buy the pipes sooner. He said well what did you need them old pipes for you have good ones now. Just couldn't make him understand.

**WalesLax** · 19th February 23, 11:21 AM

Not necessarily a good or bad deal, but a beautiful set of engraved silver Naill's I wanted to share: https://www.ebay.com/itm/33474701957....c101124.m2109

**OC Richard** · 22nd February 23, 04:25 AM

Yes gorgeous Naills there!

Now here's a grab-your-popcorn set, silver & ivory Robertsons, currently under $900 but this will go into several thousands.

The set is within the USA so no ivory import issues for US buyers.

The mounts are obviously by Frederick Narborough (later Dalman & Narborough) however they made identical-looking mounts in solid nickel-silver and Sterling Silver and only the latter have date marks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25598671952...ndition=4%7C10

**OC Richard** · 22nd February 23, 04:31 AM

And speaking of D&N silver mounts, here's a Piob Mhor set.

It's also within USA borders though it's unclear whether the mounts are ivory or imitation.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22542900855...ndition=4%7C10

I delved into the Piob Mhor history a couple years back, including contacting Michael Phee, their principal turner.

He said that in the mid-1970s Paul Blackburn and Ian MacGregor, the sons-in-law of owner John Ruthven Milne, began turning pipes for the Piob Mhor shop in Blairgowrie.

Ruthven and his wife Gwen were both pipers and kiltmakers, who moved from Australia to Blairgowrie and established Piob Mhor in 1974. They bought out sporranmaker Nicoll Brothers in 1983 and tailor Thomas Gordon & Sons in 1992.

In 1986 another son-in-law, Michael Phee, became the turner. He's said to have made around 550 sets before moving to Australia in 2008, at which time pipemaking at Piob Mhor ceased.

Michael said that Piob Mhor pipes were Henderson-based.

He also said the pipes are date stamped, 1291 means December 1991.

**OC Richard** · 24th February 23, 04:45 AM

Henderson-stamped pipes, no bids, $850 opening.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16595264857...ndition=4%7C10

They appear to have narrow beads on the Catalin drone ferrules.

Hendersons with wide beads on Catalin or ivory ferrules are said to be superior.

**OC Richard** · 25th February 23, 05:05 AM

Evidently both the Robertson pipes and the Piob Mhor lack hallmarks, thus are nickel-silver/German silver/cupro-nickel mounts. They're still nice hand-chased Dalman & Narborough work, but this will impact the final prices.

Here's a Lawrie set currently under $300. I'm huge Lawrie fan and the sets I've had like this had super stability and tone.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17562620002...ndition=4%7C10