The ownership of this set of pipes can be traced almost from the time of its manufacture to the present. They were made for John Coughlan (1837-1908) by Michael Egan – one of two sets that the famous pipemaker made for him in New York in the late 1850s. Egan had been induced to come to America by Coughlan’s father Thomas, and taught John for some time, as well as making the pipes for him.

John Coughlan became a celebrated piper in the United States, but emigrated to Australia in 1862, apprehensive at the disturbed conditions arising from the American Civil War. He settled in Melbourne, and later moved to Sydney. He acquired a great reputation as a piper and travelled throughout Australia, as well as to New Zealand, performing Irish music.