These bagpipes had initially been attributed to John Ban MacKenzie by a reputable authority, however Jeannie Campbell believes they may be much older. Jeannie acknowledges specific similarities between this bagpipe and the Culloden bagpipe. Authorities believe that the Culloden bagpipe predates the battle by about 50 years, meaning that it was probably made in the late 1600s or very early 1700s. Jeannie believes that this bagpipe probably dates from around the time of the battle, being 1746. The presence of a bass drone, with appears to be original to the set, supports this.
The pipes are made of laburnum which used prior to the discovery of exotic hardwoods. The mounts are bone and nickel, the nickel being a later addition. Note the “fill” used where the inside diameter of the ferrule is not concentric. There is a cord guide turned into the bass middle – a common trait in early bagpipes. The pipes have certainly been refinished at some point, and the bone has probably been polished.
The history of the pipes is impossible to authenticate. Was this pipe being played before the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the historic battle on Culloden Moors? More than one vintage expert has suggested that they may in fact be a pre-Victorian reproduction of a Culloden bagpipe. Even if that is the case, that likely makes them 175-200 years old.
Being laburnum, the pipes are very light in weight. The tone is smooth, and very mellow – just about the volume of a David Glen set, but not quite as buzzy. They tune fairly low on the pins, as one might expect from an instrument made when bagpipe pitch was much lower than it is today.
