18th Century Horn ADDED PHOTOS

[Shreckmeister]

18th Century Horn- Recently found in Ash County North Carolina dated by the spout 1771 it also has a 95 which is a later date.  2 sets of initials- GRC and EFR.  2 holes with period twine for shoulder carry. Ash Co. was turned over to North Carolia in 1771 from Tenn.. This is the earliest Dated Horn found in North Carolina.  14 1/2 long by 3 1/2 diameter.

[Ahtuwisae]

Very nice piece...if possible more pics and dimensions?

[Berks Liberty]

Those are the horns I love.  Just raw with a story to it. 

Jason

[Horner75]

I'm with John!...Like to see more pictures please!

Rick

[Collector]

Love these Southern pieces.  Are the simpler/rougher utilitarian forms, more likely to be found in the South/Southeast and the more refined horns, in the North/Northeast?   

I'd like to see what the butt plug and lobe looks like on this 1771 NC piece.  You just can't get patina like we're seeing on this horn.

[Shreckmeister]

I've been out of town.  Will try to get some more pictures up tomorrow.

[Collector]

suzkat,  Thanks for adding the additional photos.  I think that we are so used to seeing and idolizing, the more refined level of horns, that we forget that a powderhorn, for many on the frontier, was just another tool required for their survival.  It didn't need to be pretty, it just needed to get a job done.  Suzkat, if you can supply us with some dimensions, that would be an extra bonus...   

[Shreckmeister]

G. Hansen,  The dimensions are on top of the post or do you want other
dimension.

[Collector]

Suzkat, I am clearly in error.  My apologies.

[Down South]

Mr. Hansen:  Much of the Period Southern work that is seen these days is actually Appalachian work.  Appalachian work was generally made after 1850.  That is not to say that it is rough or made by unskilled makers.  It is very utilitarian and made by peoplel who tended to be very poor.   Much of the early Southern work from the Colonial period tended to be made by skilled craftsman such as furniture makers and turners just like up North.  It was well made and though different (thus Southern) was just as fine as northern work.  Much if not most of the older fine work has been used up or was destroyed during and after the "War of Northern Agression" by occupation troops during the so called Reconstruction. (I'm actually funnin a little here guys.)  However, much of the remaining fine work has remained hidden in family clausets and chests of drawers for a couple of generations.  As a person who researches Southern Accoutrements, I can testify just how hard it is to get people down here to allow access to such items.  Most families want allow them to be photographed or documented.  Many times I have looked at fine Southern work only to be told I can not photograph the item and I am not to reveal it's where abouts if I want further access.  As a contemporary horn maker, I want to maintain access to these items.  There are also some very fine Southern pieces in private collections that come to light at shows.  However, these pieces are very few when compared to the amount of pieces from the North.  Not as many Southerners are willing to sell Grandpaw's old horn.  After all, it was Grandpaws.  Who can put a price on Grandpaw?

[Ahtuwisae]

Thank you for posting the additional information

[Luke MacGillie]

Is this a powder horn or a blowing horn?  Im not seeing any pin holes for a plug?

[woodsrunner]

Down South,

I can concur with much of what you are saying, especially about how guarded with heirlooms most of us are who have Southern genes going far back into the Colonial Period, but one thing confuses me a little and I'd like for you to clear it up for me:

You say Appalachian work generally dates to after 1850, and I'm not sure that I fully understand where you are coming from with that. You may be on to something that I'm not aware of, and this interests me being as I'm the "distilled product" of the Southern Appalachian Culture and scour the Mountains at home collecting old stuff.

Luke: Good observation! But....I don't think it was originally a blowing horn for calling in the dogs and here's why. A blowing horn, more commonly called a "Fox Horn" where I grew up, would typically be about a foot long around the curve plus or minus an inch or so, and it would be SHAVED THIN! The large open end would be probably no more than 2 1/2 inches across. The sound from a small horn like this will carry much further. A big thick horn will give a hollow bell sound that doesn't carry far even on a cold still night in the wintertime. Notice how thick this old original horn is....never shaved down any it looks like. I've seen a dozen or more fox horns growing up, have my Grandfather's old horn dating back only to the 1920's and one original that Ron Ehlert gave me that's a hundred plus years old and all are as I describe. Just my thoughts and I could be wrong!

[Shreckmeister]

The owner of this horn wishes me to restate that it is a blowing horn.   He states that early blowing horns such as this 250 year old horn were not as refined as
the later horns and were produced before it became commonplace to shave them down thin.   Perhaps the lack of holes for an end cap might lend credibility to his position.

[art riser]

a view of the interior of the spout (the hole) might clear up the question of blowing horn versus broken powder horn...