Looking for advice on a Hunting Horn

[Shreckmeister]

I have an opportunity to buy a hunting horn.   I don't have any photos of it.
It is approximately 11-12 inches in length.  The end is flared like a bugle
mouthpiece, about an inch and a half from the mouthpiece is a place where
they flared the horn out the whole way around the horn.  On the open end of the horn is a brass plate about an inch and a half long and 5/8ths high
with the name of the horns owner and the town in VA where he was from.
Nice dark brown patina on the brass.  Stamped block letters.  When you purse your lips and blow into it.  The sound is Very loud.
     This cow horn appears to be thinnned out all over to make it louder.
I guess it's age at 75-100 years.  The owner is asking $200.
Is that a fair price to pay?

[Horner75]

Without seeing a photo of the horn. It is almost impossible to give you an honest answer!  That said, if you think it is worth it and you like it...what the hey!..buy it!   Personally, it would have to be a very special item for me to pay that price for a blowing horn as you described, but then again......I'm particular!

Rick

[Hawken62_flint]

I just bought one a couple of months ago.  It is not as fancy as what you describe.  Mine would seem, pardon the expression, more of a "poor boy's" hunting horn (or a working man's horn).  It has a band around the open end and is carved nicely with a bulbous end to place your mouth on.  It has a blue tick hound (at least that is what it looks like) relief carved near the open end.  The remnants of strap were fastened to a steel band near the mouth end and another piece of steel riveted near the big end.  I hate to say, but I only paid $20 for it.  Like the other comments on your proposed purchase, I have no way to know how much it would be worth, and mine may be worth much more than I paid for it--at least I hope it is.  Also, I have no way of dating my horn, but I suspect it is nowhere near 200 years old.

[Down South]

Not a lot of collecting interest has surfaced (to date) with regards to hunting horns.  As a result there really aren't any good figures on worth of these wonderful items.  I have always viewed them as very personal items of folk art.  I own a few older hunting horns.  I have paid amounts from under $50 to about what you quoted for the ones in my collection.  Very few original hunting horns are signed by the makers.  Most of the old time makers were the users themselves.  The worth of a hunting horn is usually found in the legacy of the horn:  Who made it?  Who owned it?  etc.  For the guys who collect hunting horns they are usually items of the heart rather than items of monetary value.  If you like the horn, if the horn speaks to you more than to others that look at it, or if it's appeal has a magical effect on you then how much the seller wants for the horn is immaterial.
The horn sounds enchanting.  Whoever made that horn went to some trouble.  The amount to time and care that went into making that old horn made it special for someone.  Such horns tend to be family treasures and are rarely sold (at least down here in the deep South).  Rather, a horn like that would be passed down through the generations and revered.
Just a few words from someone who really loves old hunting horns
Billy