This is a very old set of African Blackwood Henry Starck bagpipes complete with the original makers stamp which appears on a few different sections. This stamp can be clearly seen in some of the pictures below. They are mounted with beautiful ivory that is unique in shape to early Starcks. They also have very unique shaped cord guides that can be seen in the pictures below.

I have given these pipes quite a bit of playing time and they are extremely steady and produce a beautiful warm tone as would be expected from a set of Starcks. Like a lot of old pipes of this era, the bass tends to tune a shade lower than modern sets however it is not so much that it causes any problem.

When I acquired the pipes it became clear that they had not been played for a long time and were in need of some restoration. One of the tenor tops was badly cracked and beyond repair so I had an identical replica made using the original ivory. The other tenor top had a small crack but this has been professionally repaired and is not visible any longer. The bass mid-joint is brass lined and may well be a replacement but it is definitely a Starck piece and also carries a makers stamp in exactly the same style as the rest. It could well be original but I can't say for sure. There is a small chip in the bass bottom section which looks like its been there since the day they were made and doesn't cause any issues at all.

The pipes came with an old pipe chanter which I thought may have been original but upon further investigation (I can just about make out a couple of letters stamped on it) I think it may be an old Lawrie. The chanter has cracked and been repaired many years ago but the crack is far too large for the chanter to ever be playable. It does have a very nice ivory sole.

These are a beautiful old set of pipes that have been carefully restored to ensure that they will give many years of pleasure. Their appearance is unique also which makes them more interesting still.

If you are interested in this set and have any further question, please just email me using the link below.

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Sticks Only:
SOLD

This set of pipes are not necessarily a vintage set of pipes but they are mounted with vintage ivory. Some months ago I acquired a set of Lawrie pipes that badly cracked beyond repair so I decided to have the ivory removed and remounted on a brand new set of pipes made by David 'Blue' MacMurchie. The result is an absolutely beautiful set of pipes that sound and look fantastic.

'Blue' MacMurchie is regarded as one of the finest craftsmen in the pipe making business and makes superb pipes that have bores based on the finest vintage Henderson's. The pipes are 100% hand crafted using the finest quality wood and produce a wonderful bright and robust tone. They are easy to reed and tune and lock in with ease. They also have the beautiful look of a fine vintage set.

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Sticks Only: Withdrawn from sale.

The pipes are being sold as sticks only, however should you wish them to be fitted with bag, chanter, reeds, etc, this can be done for an additional fee.

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These pipes can be identified as Starcks due to the very distinctive combing that can be seen in the pictures. They are in excellent condition and have had only a very light restoration which included a new bass bush made in real ivory to replace an imitation one that had been fitted some time ago and a new ivory bass ringcap that was made to replace the original one as it had split. There was also a small surface chip on the wood of the bass mid- section (just below the mount) but this has been repaired and is now barely visible. In fact, I tried several times to photograph this but the camera wouldn't pick it up at all.

As to be expected with pipes of this age, there are some very minor scuffs and marks on the pipes but the wood is completely crack free. There is a small split on one of the tenor ivory ringcaps but it is completely closed.

I have given these pipes quite a lot of playing time and absolutely love the tone they have. They are extremely steady and easy to tune and have some of the nicest ivory that I have ever seen on a set of pipes.

I played these pipes with FMM at the 2009 World Championships, Cowal Games and also at the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban. The fourth picture below was taken there, although as you can see I simply fitted the drones into my previous bag and stocks to save tying in a new bag.