Chiff and Fipple Forums

What else you think the "banana chanter" was developed for????

That chess set is spectacular! I wonder if Kenna was involved in chess piece construction at all? Looking at this photo I wonder if he was inspired by such pieces or vice versa? The beehive set would certainly lead one to think so?

PD.

Lathe work was incredible in the 1800s. 'Gentlemen' in Victorian England used to own their own lathe as a hobby, before satellite sports, internet poker, etc.

McPhee lived in New Zealand, and mostly made Highland pipes. He cranked out a couple of copies of two local M. Egan sets, both of which had enormous "trumpet" style regulator caps. One belonged to a piper named Paddy Glavin, the other was made for a famous piper, John Couglan. This set passed on to Dan O'Dowd in Dublin, and is heard on the early Chieftains albums.
McPhee's work was top-notch, when I saw a picture of it I couldn't believe someone was turning out pipes like that in the 1950's. Of course, who knows how good these pipes are as musical instruments.
Great pics, guys, keep 'em coming!

This is a shot of Peter Browne's set. Anyone know what this is? These turnings are very simplistic in comparison, but very nice all the same.

Peter said he plays a Rogge set. at least the one he played for his lecture here in Milwaukee, a couple months ago.

Nice set pf pipes, Hicks!

Patrick D'Arcy wrote:I wonder if Kenna was involved in chess piece construction at all? The beehive set would certainly lead one to think so?

PD.

Only the beehive set isn't kenna. The chanter is but the rest isn't, Mark Walstrom thinks (and I would agree) it's Ryan. The mounts were not original though,it seems they were put on later.

Paul,
Thats a Mulcrone set. He was a pipe maker that lived in Dublin around the 1910-1940s ish. (I could be off the mark there) I think he may have spent a ibt of his spare time with Willie Rowsome, learning the skills.
Neillidh Mulligan has a set too. Peter Browne got his set from Seamus Ennis. I don't know of any more in existance.
Tommy

Wasn't the set Ennis gave to the Brownes a Brogan?

Peter,
Your right, I always get Brogan and Mulcrone mixed up because Neillidh has one of each. The Brogan that Neillidh is in D and the Mulcrone is C#.
Is that right?
Peadar Broe played a Brogan too.

Tommy.

Jim McGuire wrote:Lathe work was incredible in the 1800s. 'Gentlemen' in Victorian England used to own their own lathe as a hobby, before satellite sports, internet poker, etc.

I once spent a day with Geoff Wooff in the Science Museum in London looking at the old lathes an the stuff made on them. Unbelievable displays of crafmanship.

There used to be a 200 year old Henry Maudslay lathe at the Museum of Science & Industry/Natural History in Los Angeles. Very precise & smooth carriage movement. Gotta love museum's with their "please do not touch the exhibit's" sign's...heh, heh. Maudslay also invented a bench micrometer capable of measuring 1/10,000 th of an inch. Those old boy's knew what they were doing.

Hey folks. Anyone else have interesting photos?

Davey wrote: This bottom set is R.Reid., and a real darling of a player.

Davey, what more can you tell us about this set? I'm very curious.

- Bill

Jim McGuire wrote:Chess pieces were turned by lathe, just like pipes, in the 1800s and still are today. Same materials as were used for pipes, too: boxwood, ebony, ivory.

And speaking of chess pieces:



Who made these?