The Thow family of makers is incredibly interesting. According to Jeanne Campbell, John Thow was listed as a musical instrument maker beginning in 1853. From 1874 to 1878 he is listed as a bagpipe and violin maker, as well as his other skills and trades. A violin bearing a paper label (inside the body) that reads “J. Thow Dundee” is pictured to the right. The picture showing front and back is that of a violin labelled “Made by John Thow, Sept 17 – 1864, 96 Seagale – Dundee” with “J THOW DUNDEE” carved along inside center back.
Bagpipes stamped “J THOW DUNDEE” are shown below.
Thow bagpipes over the years had very distinctive cord holders with a scribe-line. The profile changed and sometimes the scribe-line did not appear. The bass drone also had a single bead between the cord-holders and the bell. Sometimes, but not often, these details were omitted.
The pictures below are of two separate bagpipes, both believed to be the work of John Thow. The first set, were it not for the bead above the cord-holders and the scribe lines on the cord-holder, I might have thought it the work of Allan MacDougall.
The bagpipe above is believed to be a very early John Thow bagpipe. The bagpipe came to Canada in 1880 from Nairnshire Scotland. They were the property of James McIntosh who eventually settled in a small village close to Cowansville, Quebec, although at that time is was called Freeport. James was a blacksmith and distinguished himself making plows.
This bagpipe appears to have some replacement parts however it is still an excellent exhibit. A chanter, believed to be original, stamped “THOW” remains with the set. The combing is filled with sediment that has obviously been over-coated. The present owner is the great grandson of James McIntosh. The top sections contain Thow’s signature bead above the cord holders on the bass only and the scribe lines cut into cord holders on all three drones.
As to be expected, many of these old bagpipes have been repaired over the years. The replaced bushings (inserts within the bell ring) are obvious, however the configuration of the bass bushing is uncommon and quite amazing.
