Original Priming Horn

[Randy Hedden]

Recently ALR member hawknknife offered an old priming horn for sale in the ALR "For Sale" forum.  I was able to purchase the horn and was pleasantly surprised when I received it.  For those who didn't see it in the "For Sale" forum, I am posting pictures here.  The horn is a bit over 4-1/2 inches, not counting the spout plug.  At the butt end the horn is oval and measures 1-1/4" by !-3/4".  The horn has a rough scraped finish.  In several places you can plainly see chatter marks from a knife or scraper.  The only decoration on the horn is some drill tip holes with concentric rings around the holes.  It is scraped very thin and has a wonderful patina that only comes with age.  The interesting part about this horn is the butt plug.  The butt plug was originally made to a press fit to the horn and has no pins holding the butt plug into the horn.  It appears that over the years the butt plug has become loose and someone wrapped the working part of the plug in paper to maintain the slight press fit.  The paper is now old and yellowed.  The paper is broad ruled tablet paper like  school children would use and has some mathematics calculations written on it.  There are two leather tabs sticking out through the butt plug and provide a "handle" to pull the butt plug for refilling.  All in all a really nice old priming horn.  Thanks Carl for offering this horn for sale. 

Randy Hedden

[eseabee1]

Very interesting thamks for sharing ..I seen it fro sale but you jumped on it before I even had a chance

[skillman]

Randy
Thanks for posting the pictures. We all need to see all the originals we can.
Steve

[Cory Joe Stewart]

That is very interesting. 

Coryjoe

[rich pierce]

What a little dandy!

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

How much powder you reckon it holds??  I wonder if it was really a priming horn or just simply a small hunting horn for a squirrel gun???

[Tim Crosby]

  Thanks for the pics and the right up. You were quick on the draw on that one.

 Tim C.

[Artificer]

Enjoyed the pics and the write up.  Thank you.

I may be entirely off track, but I can't help but wonder if this was originally intended as a salt horn or other container of some sort and then used as a powder horn?  I look at the horn and wonder how tight the butt plug was originally.  The reason I ask is because of the leather strap on the butt end seems to suggest it may be for easy and/or frequent filling.  Of course, it may also have been for frequent emptying to dry out damp powder. 
Gus

[hawknknife]

Randy, I'm pleased you like it.  I have owned it for a number of years and had no idea the base would pull out.  It's just been on a shelf with several others...Carl

[digger]

Very neat little horn, it is nice to see some original stuff to keep it all in perspective.

[double hunter]

really nice

[Rick Sheets]

Love the little horns. That is a nice one. Check to see if the math calculations on the paper shim are correct. That might help you pin down the date of the "repair."
Rick