THE BREDALBANE PIPER
A VICTORIAN PORTRAIT OF JOHN BAN MACKENZIE
Auction: Day 2: Thursday 21 August - Lots 297 - end
Description
oil on board, depicting John Ban in highland dress, most likely taken at the door of Taymouth Castle
Dimensions
24cm x 17.5cm
Footnote
John Ban Mackenzie (1796 -1864)
From 1823-1861 John Ban was piper to John Campbell, 6th Earl of Breadalbane and Holland (1824 - 1871) at Taymouth Castle in Perthshire. In 1849 John Ban won the ‘Prize Pipe’ at the Northern Meeting and the Gold Medal for former winners in 1852. In 1835 a Gold Medal was offered and with it the title ‘King of Pipers’. The competition was held only four times. John Ban was the first winner and his pupils won it on the other three occasions: Donald Cameron (1867), Ronald MacKenzie (1873) and Duncan MacDougall (1876).
A keen bagpipe maker as well, Mackenzie supplied the 'Prize Pipe' at Inverness from 1846 to 1864. It is believed that he made bagpipes from 1840 until his death.
There are many photographs taken of him, most of which also comment on his appearance, and allude to his penchant for the ladies. The Metropolitan Museum in New York hold a photograph of him taken by Hill and Adamson (accession number 46.1.165)