Old Pipes

srfmowman · Post by **srfmowman** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 9:53 pm

Looks like some old pipes out of someones basement. Looks like they were quite nice at one time.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 2555393228
Hope they can get in hands that can restore them.

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 10:17 pm

Shhh!!!

This is a set by Willie Rowsome, an early flat set. Look at the picture of Willie on page 163 of Irish Musicians and Minstrels. Same set of pipes, sans 4th regulator. Same regulator endcaps, same weird stock ferrule, baritone and bass sliders that are bent back towards the stock. No chanter here, of course. The keyed chanters are identical to my oldie in appearance, which Dave Quinn told me was probably by Boston maker Patsy Brown.
The seller told me the middle regulator was 18" long, which would indicate Bb for pitch of the set. If the earlier owner converted a Bb set to play in concert pitch, or even sharp of it, the pipes could be badly mangled. The bass drone looks quite hacked up. And of course, someone cut the bass reg bar in two and converted it to a folded back Taylor style setup. The tubes on the drone sliders look like awful repair jobs. To put a set like this back into good order would cost quite a bit, if it could be done at all, not to mention finding or making a suitable chanter for it.

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 10:35 pm

Good Lord! This is what's kinda neat about the internet...some seller coughing up an old set like this, who knows nothing about them. I knew a guy in Chicago who checked the newspaper every day for several years (back in the 80's) and finally found a set of uilleann pipes for sale. Makes you wonder how many more there are in the closets, basements, and attics. :-?

Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa · Sun Sep 07, 2003 11:23 pm

jeez. these things sat all week and on the last day someone had to open their mouths. Risky enough to bid on already without a frenzy. Damn. Thanks.

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 12:49 am

Oh, I forgot to mention, the buyer also told me the bores had been entirely filled up and sealed with epoxy, so these are just useless props, and it would be a total waste of money and time to even bother bidding on them further.
Really.
No, really.
I have never heard of a pristine old flat set in America that wasn't screwed up, the throats of pipes being reamed out usually. Sad but true.

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:05 am

..how much are you going to bid on these props?

Irish Terrier · Post by **Irish Terrier** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:24 am

As much as it takes I bet!!!

:devil:

stew · Post by **stew** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 8:28 am

If they were that good of a set why would they be stuck in the bottom of
a cupboard? if the bores have been altered and cut you'll end up with
a mish mash, its one hell of a gamble, or you can try and restore them your self,quite easy to polish the woodwork up and the brass work,new
whipping on the joints, and other little bits and bob's you could save on,
then have the set refitted with a bag and set of reeds if ever other thing is
O.K, but if the bores are wrong there's only one place for them and
that the wall, or you can have them restore by a maker, but you could end up with a set half old ~half new, and if the chanters ain't any good "well? its going to be a very expensive investment,
I will say one thing the bass reg mount is very nicely made
on the stock, but who knows you might be lucky,luky lucky lucky,

all the best with the venture whom ever decides to go for it,
don't let your heart rule your mind.

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 8:56 am

I hope that whoever takes the risk and buys them is lucky and can get them going, the chanters at least - last I looked the highest bid was over 1500 dollars.

marcpipes · Post by **marcpipes** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 1:04 pm

Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa wrote:jeez. these things sat all week and on the last day someone had to open their mouths. Risky enough to bid on already without a frenzy. Damn. Thanks.

EXACTLY!

These pipes had not gone un-noticed all week. There's a good chance that a few people (at least one for sure) actually check ebay on there own without having to alert every person who shares the interest in piping. It was kind of nice all week to think I might be able to afford them and see no one had blabbed about them on here yet and started a bidding war. It's kind of like sneaking up behind a starving hunter who is about to make a shot and yelling "HEY LOOK EVERYBODY, A DEER! Oh wow look at it run away." :roll: Maybe in future if we are not bidding on or selling an item on ebay we shouldn't alert everybody else to it.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 1:38 pm

marcpipes wrote:....Maybe in future if we are not bidding on or selling an item on ebay we shouldn't alert everybody else to it.

Hmmmm... marc, are you serious?

Don't blame the C&F members for posting this auction. It's been viewed 900+ times.

Other than out bid everyone on the planet, there's little one can do from an eBay feeding frenzy. Take for example, the Wilbert Garvin book that recently sold for more that DOUBLE what a new book costs. I'm glad the seller got what he got out of it, but wouldn't you prefer your 'piping community' letting you know if it was available elsewhere?

Tell you what... next time a Wooff set goes up for sale, I won't post the sale here. OK??

;-)

srfmowman · Post by **srfmowman** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 2:08 pm

I don't know if people are being serious or not about putting EBay listings here. If you are, I guess we could just crash the net and burn all the books too. That way NOT A SINGLE BIT OF "SECRET" INFORMATION COULD GET INTO THE HANDS OF THE UNWORTHY. :boggle:

I actually can't comprehend anyone putting a bid in on EBay before the last 3 minutes of the auction. I bought a Charles Roberts practice set on EBay. I am grateful that Tony has taken the time to put listings on this board. My opinion is that the comments on different sets which have shown up are very helpful in someones decision to bid or not.
Best Regards,
John

Irish Terrier · Post by **Irish Terrier** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:03 pm

WOW!!! $2100

Someone knows something here. Kevin are you telling white ones!!!
:lol:

stew · Post by **stew** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:02 pm

Hmmm,
40minutes left, $2045 you can buy a half set that works for that,
I wonder if their going to replace all the wood parts, and refit them
with the old brass fitting repolished, that might work, it might be
worth the money there bidding,there is a lot you could do with the
set if your maker, any last minute surprises, lets watch.

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:18 pm

I wonder how much I might get for my mouldy 30 yr old reed cane if I put it up on Ebay? Imagine buying those pipes and finding the wood all wormy or whatever. You could always use the metalwork for the Celtic Tiger jewellery market........

Alan

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