Union Pipe

The Union Pipe was developed around the mid-eighteenth century and was played throughout the nineteenth century. It is considered the ancestor of the Uillean pipes. Union pipes are a form of bellows-blown bagpipe that were played in a chamber music format. The keys added to the union pipes enabled musicians to play a fully chromatic scale, and the chanter has a wider melodic range than other contemporary bagpipes (Cheape 2008:106). In the mid-eighteenth century, the pipes were fitted with ‘regulators’: stopped pipes with keys that could create a harmonic accompaniment. Although it was branded as an ‘Irish pipe’ from very early on (Cheape 2008:108-109), it was an instrument that was made and played across the UK. Many surviving examples were made in urban centers in Scotland and England, much like this instrument.

This instrument has a long narrow conical chanter fitted with a terminal spring valve. The two drones and three regulators (two treble, one bass) are fitted in a common stock, and the bagpipe has a set of bellows marked J. SHARP/ ABDN (Aberdeen) on one of the boards. The original bag is missing and the cover was added in the twentieth century.

(Cassandre Balosso-Bardin, 2023)

Technical Description
Narrow conical single chanter 403 mm (15-7/8 in.) including terminal spring valve; 7/1 holes, 7 round metal keys with leather pads, 4 on block mounts, 2 on saddles, 1 on grooved mount, narrow cane double reed on long brass staple;

2 drones, each in 2 sections 432 mm (17 in.), 521 mm (20½ in.), mounted in single stock with regulators; 2 treble regulators in 1 section with 3 and 4 keys, 1 bass regulator in 3 sections with 4 keys;

Separate wooden stocks for chanter and wooden bellows intermediate joint;

Light colored leather, single fold bellows covered with green velvet, with hinged boards of brown wood and leather hose leading to bag stock;

Bag missing, green cloth cover stuffed;

Chanter, drones, regulators and bellows intermediate joint mounted with ivory, the ivory caps of drones, chanter mount and treble regulators having ribbed turning;

Drones and regulators mounted with alloy, the drone stock having band of same material;

Green bag cover with green fringe at bottom and at chanter stock;

Bellows with grooved wooden bushing at intake, green velvet over leather.


Height (of chanter): 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm)

Height (of larger drone): 20 1/2 in. (52.1 cm)

Height (of smaller drone): 17 in. (43.2 cm)


References

Cheape, Hugh, 2008. Bagpipes, A national collection of a national instrument, Edinburgh: National Museums Scotland.