Bagpipes with bellows, chanter missing. The associated bellows are numbered 1938.34.110 .2 [RR 23/1/2020]

Collection type: Object
Description: Bagpipes with bellows, chanter missing. The associated bellows are numbered 1938.34.110 .2 [RR 23/1/2020]
Geographical reference: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Cultural groups: Scottish
Person: Field collector Miss Johnston; PRM source Henry Balfour
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1842
Date collected: ?22 September 1842
Acquisition information: Bequeathed: 1939
Materials and processes: Material Wood Plant, Process Perforated
Dimensions: Length: max 750 mm, Width: max 180 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1938.34.110.1
Research and responses: This set of bagpipes was looked at by folk musician John Spiers during a visit in February 2025. John commented that these Scottish Lowland pipes are different from the Highland pipes that everyone knows. Instead of blowing into the bag, the player holds a bellows under one arm. The coordination required to be able to push the bag with one arm and blow the bellows with the other arm, and play all the fingers on the chanter and control all the drones, is incredible. The Lowland pipes are more of a delicate and ‘musical’ sound, less about pure power and more about the tunes being played.

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