These were just sitting in a box at Scott’s Highland services. I know that Joe Kennedy worked on a reed for the chanter and it plays very nicely indeed. The tenor and baritone drones looks like they had a home repair job done and the bass regulator looks homemade as well.
Bass reg looks like an add-on, but the other regs could well be Taylor (as could the drones and chanter, possibly! - lots of replacement bits on those drones though. The bass is definitely Taylor-design, if not the Taylors’ hands).
Would like to have a closer look at the regulator pivots to see if they are dovetailed into the wood, and a closer look at the popping valve.
Brennan or Anderson might also be possibilities - DMQ is the man to give the best verdict.
Baritone drone. Looks to me like a fat lady sat on the set at some point, with disasterous results. Baritone drone/standing section of tenor don’t match the rest - maybe broom handle wood? And the bass reg looks to be not of ebony, either. Is that reed sticking out of the top of the bass reg, too?
Chanter and small regs are nice work, though. Popping valve ivory looks rounded, which is the sign of Billy and Charley. Also the lack of decorative lines in the popping valve’s main body.
I’ve seen those bass reg keys somewhere - I forget which crappy maker. The way they widen dramatically once past the mounting plates.
The parts look like Taylor parts (the older looking pieces) that were not finished by Taylor. The tenor reg looks Taylor, the baritone less Taylor, the bass reg by anyone. Could have been by the fellow who bought the workshop - who made Highland pipes.
Is there no stock to this set?
The bellows looks identical to my own Taylor bellows.
No, there is no bag, mainstock or any connectors for them.
I think there was a name on an envelope in the box - could have been of a previous owner. There is a remote chance that someone may recognize the person. I’ll post the name when I get home.
Paul
P.S. Anyone going to Goderich this week can have a first hand look at them!
There was the name “A. R. Wilcox” on an envelope in the box…a possible owner? Also, another paper was dated 1948. Don’t know if it helps but that’s the info I have.
Never heard of a piper or pipemaker by that name.
Taylor Hutton (owned Taylor tools later on) Brennan (Taylor bellows maker Jim is talking about) White Brown Greene Carberry Carney Crowley Doyle Hennelly O’Mealy. Who was that chap in Edinburgh? Hamilton?
Thanks for throwing in the pic Pat! Does look like the same guy - Mr. Metal Mounts.
