On reading the short report in SRS volume 1, “The M. Dunn set at Morpeth” by Anne Moore (1.14) the suspicion arose that the set I once had bought via Ebay might be a M. Dunn set.
I see similiarities especially between the chanters and the tenor reg. The baritone reg on the Ebay set might be a replacement for the tenor drone. As the bass drone´s return is outside the mainstock either it is not hollow, too. There seems to be a drone switch, too. Of course, the mainstock could be a later replacement but it is striking at least. The drones are very different. I think it is not possible to say which or any one is original but I would rule out the triple bore one from the start. The Morpeth set is stamped on the chanter, on the reg and on the main stock. I did not notice a stamp on the Ebay set. It might but have not been stamped at all or it could have been sanded out through repairs. The stamp is described with pencil in the report.
In SRS volume 1, “A List of Early Irish Bagpipe Makers to circa 1940”, by Mark Walstrom (1.03) M.Dunn is listed “c 1800” and that other items of him are in the Smithsonian and in Edinburgh University. Should one of you happen to be there could you please post pics?
Hi Hans-Joerg,
Somebody wrote up an account of the Reid/Dunn pipes in the American Piper’s Review, about 13 years ago I’d say. There were rough measurements and some pics as I recall. That was a R Reid set with M Dunn double chanter, so perhaps not of much use in what you’re after. I remember the little sketch of the stamp with Mason’s insignia on the chanter.
When did you buy a Dunn set on eBay!?!?!? Nice find.
Through Big Davy´s hint in August 2008
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/ebay-items/58220/4
These old sets generally are quite cheap - except it is one of the “Big Four” → John, Paul, George… no,sorry, Kenna, Coyne, Harrington or Egan. You pay horrible sums then but very few people want to have sets like these - especially if they are “no name”. E. g. I was the only bidder on this one.
But, Kevin, I´m not sure that it is a M. Dunn. It is only a suspicion that I hope to „condense“ this way. Here are some other closeups of the ebay-set
The chanter – rather fat, blockless, boxwood, tanned, narrow bore – was fairly quickly exactly in D reedable (one by myself and one by Andreas Rogge). The – interesting looking – keys could have been added later. The (2) dronereeds are in a common chamber and the rest of the stock is left solid. The base drone (triple bored) has an excentrical reed-seat! The second reg only has one key! The chanter´s tenon was glued – marked by the red ring – improperly and came off (something was missing anyway). I lined it with a nickel tube and shoved a shorter silver tube-piece over it. It now looks exactly like that part on the Morpeth one.
Hi Kevin,
I looked through my pic-collection. This might be the set you mentioned?
The hint is very helpful as I did not know that that the chanter is M. Dunn and there seems to be a slight bit further confirmation in that it´s chanter head and the Ebay-set´s reg/drone foot maybe are similiar?