FS: Al Purcell's Crowley Set

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:14 pm

Dear Pipers,

Please excuse the informality of this email but I wanted to get the word out for Ann Purcell, who is trying to find a buyer for Al's Crowley D-set.
I've put together a description, photos, and contact information which can be seen at
http://phototom.50megs.com/crowley
The set is is very good condition but the reeds will need some work to get them going again.

Any questions should be directed to Ann Purcell at annpurcell1@aol.com

If you are not interested, please forward this on to anyone you think may be.

All the best,
Tom Kennedy

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:33 am

It's a very nice looking set.

Paddy Keenan's original set was made by Crowley (chanter by Leo Rowsome).

Does anyone know why the keys were changed?

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:16 am

PJ wrote:It's a very nice looking set.

Paddy Keenan's original set was made by Crowley (chanter by Leo Rowsome).

Does anyone know why the keys were changed?

I have no idea. It would be a question for Ann I would imagine. My guess is that Al just wanted Taylor style keys and David Quinn was willing to do it. Maybe Monsignor Quinn would like to shed some light on this?

Pat.

O_Gaiteiro_do_Chicago · Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:29 am

Here's a website that has pics and a few more details on the set.

http://phototom.50megs.com/crowley

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:45 am

O_Gaiteiro_do_Chicago wrote:Here's a website that has pics and a few more details on the set.

http://phototom.50megs.com/crowley

Which is exactly the same as Pat put in above,cm'an wakey wakey
Slán Agat
Uilliam

John O'Gara · Post by **John O'Gara** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:34 pm

The link to photos says the set is now sold. Anybody know who the lucky new owner is?

Jeff Cullen · Post by **Jeff Cullen** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:51 pm

I confess. Over the past year, I've made quite a number of attempts to buy chanters and sets that were listed for sale, and every time someone beat me to it. I've tried to buy chanters by Froment, Hunter and Rowesome, and a full Froment set, and none of them were available, even though I almost always tried to buy them the first day they were listed. Last week I got lucky and was able to buy a Hunter chanter offered by a seller in France. As soon as I saw the Crowley set listed for sale I jumped on it the first day and the seller agreed to allow me to buy it, even though she had several offers in the first few days. I do expect to spend some time getting it set up and working with the reeds before it's playing well again, but after hearing the recordings of Al Purcell playing this set, it was certainly a first rate instrument, owned by a first rate player and a gentleman. I hope to do it something like justice.

John O'Gara · Post by **John O'Gara** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:15 am

Jeff,

Congratulations! Would love to hear some clips when you get the set up and running.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:27 am

Good on you Jeff!

So, um, now that you have the Crowley set, maybe you could let me have that Taylor in your avatar eh?

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:40 am

Crowley. Hmm, take care you don't fall into the holes in the chanter

Jeff Cullen · Post by **Jeff Cullen** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:19 am

Joseph E. Smith wrote:So, um, now that you have the Crowley set, maybe you could let me have that Taylor in your avatar eh?

The avatar is actually the 5/4 Brennan set. The restoration was finished earlier this year and Sean Folsom is working on making reeds for it. The chanter and drones are reeded, work is proceeding on the regs. It's been a difficult set to reed, and the possibility exists that it will take some time before it plays well. I think the true meaning of the word 'Uilleann' is 'Persistance'...
Thanks!

tompipes · Post by **tompipes** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:59 am

Crowley. Hmm, take care you don't fall into the holes in the chanter

Your a divil Laban

Jaypers. you could drive cattle through the F# hole of my Rowsome stick!

Jeff,

Will you be at the SOCAL Tionol in Nov? I'm sure there'll be a lot of ohh's and ahh's at your collection.

Tommy

Jeff Cullen · Post by **Jeff Cullen** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:54 am

I do expect to be at the So Cal Tionol in November. I'm not sure I would call two sets of pipes a collection, but hopefully I can nurse one of them into playing condition before November (in any case, I'll bring them both). I'll look forward to meeting you there...

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:30 pm

[quote=] My guess is that Al just wanted Taylor style keys and David Quinn was willing to do it. Maybe Monsignor Quinn would like to shed some light on this?

.[/quote]

I thought all the top pipemakers had agreed that they should not alter the work of deceased makers,puting taylor style keys on a crowley set is all wrong.

RORY

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:43 pm

rorybbellows wrote:
I thought all the top pipemakers had agreed that they should not alter the work of deceased makers,puting taylor style keys on a crowley set is all wrong.

RORY

My guess is this occured some time before that agreement. Besides, everyone of us has done something we may not be especially proud of, and there is no good reason for anyone else to bring it up and drag it around before the world again.