MacDougall, Duncan
The MacDougall family were pipemakers in Scotland from 1781 until 1910. The business passed through many family members over that period. Their ability to produce top quality instruments was evident both in looks and tone. Here is a brief time line -
Allan – 1792 – 1834 – Perth
John – 1834 to 1857 – Perth
Duncan – 1857 to 1898 – Perth, Edinburgh, Aberfeldy
Gavin – 1898 – 1910 – Aberfeldy
Most Duncan MacDougall bagpipes are made from Ebony or Cocuswood as he felt they were superior woods to African blackwood.
The two sets below belong to Jim Barrie and Cecily Grant. Cecily plays Jim’s father William’s ebony set(blue cords) and Jim plays the other set which to me looks like Makassar(Tiger) ebony. Both sets were acquired in New Zealand while the Barrie family lived there.
Ebony or Cocus....hmmm
Bass Top
Beaded ivory ferrule, note the lack of scribe lines
Typical for most MacDougall pipes - no little "step" on the upper projecting mount
The next few pictures compare the two sets. While believed to be both the work of Duncan MacDougall, these sets do sound quite different.
Comparison of the two bass drone tops
Bass Shoulders - different wood types are evident in this shot
Top projecting mounts
Bass tops again, minus the cords
Thanks to Murray Blair for the following pictures of his 1860-70 cocuswood Duncan MacDougall bagpipe. A rare full silver set mounted with Thistle patterned German silver. Here is some info about them from Murray -
”
My pipes are MacDougall's with brass lining inside the top sections of the drones. The tuning slides are wood and the shield on the Bass drone stock reads JDP (John D Phillips) the original owner. I've done a bit of work to them... tenor drone bells have been bored out and I replaced the blowpipe.There's also a silver joining cap missing from the blowpipe stock which I still have... but hey, how much silver do you need! The story goes that the pipes arrived in Australia during the gold rush in Queensland in the 1870's.They then made it down to Victoria soon after (I suspect in the Pipers family) and were given to my father in the 1960's by the family along with 2 cows and a small pickup truck. My Grandfather was fairly well known for piping around the district and many sets of pipes were either left to him or passed through to learning students he had.
Silver shield stamped "JDP (John D Phillips)", the original owner
A great look at the brass lining inside the drone tops
Side profile, stocks and ferrules
A nice shot of the projecting mounts
One piece ringcaps
Note the shape of the drones
Bottom projecting mounts
I would be interested in your comments re. a set of pipes.
1. Full silver mounted
2. Each of the slides have enscribed on them:
DUNCAN Mac DOUGALL
( GOLD MEDALIST
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS )
1873 – 1876
BAG PIPE MAKER
BREADALBANE
3. The hallmarking shows; a. DN McD b. the Scotch Thistle c.the castle d. what looks to me to be an 1836 E.
Roger,
I have a set which has the same inscription on only the lower bass slide. Stamping on the stock ferules is” G C McD”. They are silver/ivory.
Photos of the pipes and hallmarks are at http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee72/argylethepiper/MacD/
If someone has more information please let me know. They play quite nicely and are not for sale. They will eventually be refurbished.
Thanks
John
John,
Thanks for the post. Gavin C. MacDougall was not born until 1874…so I suspect the hallmarks and or silver are not original to this set.( the Edinburgh one reads 1836) I imagine that there is more to this story.
Cheers,
Gord
I have a small set of DN MacDougall Pipes that I would like to know about. The Chanter has DN MacDougall Breadalbane stamped beneath the Ferrel and they are made of either plastic or ivory or some other material (no silver). They are a complete replication of the Great Highland Bagpipe with a Blowstkick and Water Trap.
Further to my original text, I now believe the Water Trap I referred to is a Pressure Device.