AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Accoutrements => Topic started by: rich pierce on September 28, 2020, 06:36:23 PM
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I picked this up at a show. Of course we cannot know if the date is original to the horn. I’m a sucker for big, early horns. It’s hard to imagine this one being later than 1800. It is of the often F&I War “lobed” type with the lobes broken off. I doubt those little holes were done in the period. It has a big crack and extra nails were used there. The butt plug is 3” across and very round; I am thinking it was turned. Your observations and thoughts are welcome.
(https://i.ibb.co/WKTGHVJ/28-F9-B7-C8-B181-4-A45-8012-D4-A906-F52624.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DKqz1r2)
(https://i.ibb.co/2P99dKx/18-EF7715-1-D41-4-E3-C-B9-D6-01-B9-A80-E3-F61.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J211HkV)
(https://i.ibb.co/3k4BJPX/7-C70-A0-EE-4513-4-D31-B325-9-CB749-B187-A0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TrYmCNX)
(https://i.ibb.co/WVJDKyT/EEB20399-7725-49-A6-A07-C-6-DED22-FE102-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MB08NVX)
(https://i.ibb.co/L1zXmNj/229-F1544-C2-CF-48-F2-AE6-A-BA26-C3-DFF71-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/m4CVkNZ)
(https://i.ibb.co/t2WKjbs/96-CD1-A63-9-F60-41-A3-8-DB3-77-BECFF39055.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s1MRxFw)
(https://i.ibb.co/FqrCq0T/6-A398-FD0-C306-4-CCB-B800-CB368-CCE3291.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LhFHhJ7)
(https://i.ibb.co/WgCNp8v/1-F77-B0-AB-8-EA7-4-E2-D-9-CF8-2-A8-C50954-CAD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HnZLpwT)
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Really neat horn Rich, great architecture. I think you are right on the age, whoever made that horn knew what they were doing.
Tim
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What are your thoughts on the carving on the butt plug? My sense is that the script type looks correct enough, though I am always suspicious of deep carving/engraving with perfectly parallel sides, or a bottom that appears to be 'scooped-out', or rounded in appearance.
Your large horn has great symmetry and the practical details that you'd expect to have see in a horn that had provided actual service to its' owner. There's no doubt it was intended to be carried.
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I’m skeptical of the butt plug carving. I don’t know why there’s no grime or finish on the butt plug. Especially in the carving.
Did it get cleaned?
Is it the original plug?
Is all the carving original to the horn? Part of it? None of it?
I’m not sure but like that it wasn’t carved 1776.
Those are my thoughts but I didn’t get completely skinned on the deal. I knew there was uncertainty. Figure big early horns that were lobed don’t grow on trees and an authenticated one with a good date, intact, would probably run upwards of $500 at auction.
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Looks like tooth marks on the plug.
Tim
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Does a black light show if there is anything afoul on horns?
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The "carving" looks burned into the wood to me. Anybody else get that?
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The "carving" looks burned into the wood to me. Anybody else get that?
I wondered about that. I’m pretty sure this was a commercial horn. Any horn with a turned plug (more or less perfectly round) I consider commercial as not everybody has a lathe. So, was it marked by the owner? And what would the average person use to mark a horn as their own? Maybe a pocketknife. That would be my first choice. Maybe a hot piece of wire to burn it in? Of note the initials are comprised of simple straight lines. The date, not.
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Wade I thought the same thing.
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Appears to me, the 1, and 4 & likely the 6 on the butt plug are cut, not burned in.
Yes- looks like a replacement plug with teeth marks.
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Great horn. What is the diameter of the spout hole? For a large bore gun?
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Great horn. What is the diameter of the spout hole? For a large bore gun?
A Bic pen slides in there but doesn’t rattle around. Close fit. A .316 drill fits and the next size doesn’t. I bet it is suitable for musket use and coarse powder.
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This is a great collectible powder horn with loads of character!!! And, a good solid colonial date on it as well. Horn could be older than the date and would not surprise me. Thank you for bringing it in to be admired, Rich.
Dick
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It doesn't take much to set up a lathe.
(https://i.ibb.co/sbH9BX5/335b59d67d76cf420c6730a8a53b6de8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bQJ5fGH)
I'm sure there were itinerant 'Turners' in the colonies making all manner of things. Even today in parts of Africa they exist with a turning apparatus more primitive than the one shown.
Beautiful old horn, I really like the spout!
Robby
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Robby, I need one of those!
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Rich.... That could very well be F&I War, mid 1700's. It just has that look. Thanks for sharing it with us....
Kind Regards
Frank Barker
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The end plug sure looks aligned with the remnants of the horn lobe so the plug has been there for a long and there appears to be old junk at the bottom of the "carving" - I'd be happy to own this horn any day
Chuck
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Very interesting horn. Looks like it was probably carried on the left side.
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Neat horn Rich. My wife has a horn that was handed down through her family and if I am not mistaken is dated 1754 with some engraving and the name on it. Its been a few years since I took it down to examine it but I will and take some pictures of it and put it post it. It comes down from her mothers side of the family who were New Englanders in Maine.
Rob