I Wonder If They Looked Like This

[Tim Crosby]

 when they went out of the shop? In any case, this one is about 15” around the outside curve. The Walnut base is held in with 4 steel pins, it is about 3” and about 3/4s hollowed out. The two part antler tip is pinned together with 3 pins and to the horn with 3 more. The bands were heated and pressed on. Just in case I decide to color the body they are not secured with pins. The body is very transparent.

   Tim C.

[skillman]

Every time I build a horn Pam tells me not to dye or color it. The staining, dyeing, and ageing is something we seem to want today. Not right or wrong, just what the customer seems to like and buy. I think that a very translucent horn is a worthy item and should not be dyed if it changes that.
All that being as it may, I try to reproduce a HC-PC styled horn. The colors I try to come up with are what I think it was in "the day". I don't like to age my horns. Time and wear will do that soon enough. I have worked very hard to learn the styles and schools of the different areas and I like to use this knowledge. I'm not well versed with the different types of dyes that may have been used back when. I don't think that dyeing was common unless it was to enhance scrimshaw. I believe it was time consuming and would be hard to make enough more to justify the extra time. I could be very wrong about this and if someone has information relating to this I would love to see it.
This is a common subject out here in the Northwet when some of us get together. We don't have anywhere near the originals to look at that you guys have back there. All the info we can get is appreciated.

Steve

[wattlebuster]

I really like that horn. Great work

[Cory Joe Stewart]

This is a conversation I had once with Jeff Bottinger.  There are original horns that bear evidence of staining.  There is also an old publication from the 18th century on different methods of staining bone, horn, ivory etc.  Now just like with everything else there may have be regional preferences and styles.

Coryjoe

[skillman]

I guess my question is not whether they could or did dye them, just how often.

Steve

[LURCHWV@BJS]

My wife,and parents both always ask that very question.
  "Why are you dying those horns?"
  So the horn I'm currently working on will stay o natural.
 
     Nice horn Tim,  hope to catch you in Lodi next month.
   

     Rich

[Cory Joe Stewart]

That is tougher to answer.

Coryjoe

I guess my question is not whether they could or did dye them, just how often.

Steve

[Dan Herda]

I like this alot. You can always dye the next one.

[Frank T.]

Aqua Fortis, aka ferric nitrate, was a commonly used dye back in the colonial times. It was used to stain gun stocks and also used on horn (probably a variety of other things as well). This gives the horn that nice yellow color that we see on many early originals. Cupric nitrate and silver nitrate were also used to create green and black respectively. That being said, why stain a horn if it has as beautiful natural color. I guess it is just personal preference. Tim, I like your horn the way it is!   

[G. Elsenbeck]

Tim, I'll concur with Frank and his assessment:  basically it became the what the customer/owner preferred.   With your complimentary color of the bands and the tip make this rendition a very pleasing horn visually.  I like it and your craftsmanship is top shelf as well.  One can never grow tired of seeing your horns. 
Gary

[mtgraver]

Good topic and since my living is made from making various things a few points come to mind. The only clear answer is chemical analysis, yes there were many chemicals available as were natural dyes which is what I use. I like the enhanced figure I can get on some horn but my buying public likes the aged look as do I. That's also why I stain a rifle but even way back when the beauty of anything can be enhanced depending on ones perception of beauty.
Back to horn, my contention with some of the color we see on originals is the atmosphere they have lived in. Think wood/coal smoke, dank dark places like cellers or attics for that matter, time has the effect of age which is what we try to accomplish in short order. I don't know any collector that is willing to have a bit of patina scraped off for analysis. Then again which horns would be likely candidates for testing. We speculate today of what was used in the day, my thoughts are that there wasn't as much as we want to glamorize. The topic of aging can cover every area of work in this time related field.
Bottom line is the person making the piece should continue to do what they enjoy, period! We do have fun doing this don't we? or do some just like to pee on others efforts for their jolly's.
A fine horn, sorry for rambling.
Best regards,
Mark

[Elnathan]

There is also an old publication from the 18th century on different methods of staining bone, horn, ivory etc. 

Coryjoe

Do you remember the title, by any chance?

[Cory Joe Stewart]

You can get the book from these folks: http://www.kannikskorner.com/books.htm

It is called The Handmaid to the Arts and is the last book listed on the page.  It was originally published in 1764.

Coryjoe

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I will also note this aspect of the debate as well.  Horns that are aged/dyed sell better than those that are not.

Coryjoe

[Elnathan]

You can get the book from these folks: http://www.kannikskorner.com/books.htm

It is called The Handmaid to the Arts and is the last book listed on the page.  It was originally published in 1764.

Coryjoe

Thanks!

[Tim Crosby]

 Thanks for the comments and opinions. I do think Coryjoe is right, colored horns sell better than plain. I have had some plain horns on the table for a couple years and they did not sell, I colored them and they were gone. I will let this one go through three shows and see what happens. If I still have it at the end of the three I will add some color and see what happens.

   Tim C.

PS: I use AF a Lot.TC

 

[Joe S]

You can read The Handmaid to the Arts , or download a PDF free at
http://archive.org/details/handmaidtoartsb00dossgoog