Union pipes??
I am certainly no expert on this, but those appear to be lowland/border pipes (called Northumbrian half-longs by some).
The original image is actually called ‘the bag piper’ without the ‘Irish’ pre-fix. It’s a very wellknown image and it turns up all over the place. I have an old copy of the engraving (see scan below). Will have to get the reading glasses out if you want me to read the small print.
if im not mistaken Hugh Cheape’s book describes the picture’s provenance.
It’s been discovered that he is the G/G/Grandfather of this lady.
Apologize for this , but couldn’t resist…
Oh dear.
5, 4, 3, 2,…
aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!!!
… you’re gonna pay, and pay dearly for that!
She is still funny - and almost looks like a member of Devo.
Joe, your reaction was all the response I was hoping for..
I knew you would not disappoint.
I bought a b/w print of this painting at the Lark of the Morning in Seattle-Pike’s Place Market in Spring 2004. The caption underneath says the following:
The Piper
Painted by Sir David Wilkie R.A.-Engraved by E. Smith
The Original Painted for Francis Freeling, Esq.
Of course, this caption doesn’t definitely identify the pipes, but I reckon the pipes are of the pre-Devo Border pipe variety. Also, they look like the Border pipes that a friend recently procurred from Hamish “Whip it Good” Moore.