Oldest Dated Horn

[Top Jaw]

There are at least 2 or 3 candidates for oldest dated rifle.  How about some for the oldest dated horn?  Who are the contenders?

[Mike R]

powder horn use dates back to very early use of firearms in europe...couldn't tell you an exact date, but they were likely still wearing armor then...

[Top Jaw]

Granted, but I was thinking of American manufactured examples with pre-F&I war dates.

[Horner75]

I don't really know, but you probably will never know, as date marking powder horns was no big concern then like it is to contemporary collectors.  I never say never when it comes to absolutes in history, but this will be a very hard if not impossible thing to research for accurate conclusions.
JMHO

Rick

[mr. no gold]

Saw a horn at an auction house a number of years ago that had a date of 1728 on it. Interesting horn in that the surface was more relief carved rather than the usual incised carving. It was a figural horn as well with animals and people depicted. My first impression was that it must be a recent piece, but the surface condition said otherwise and it is/was very likely correct. It no longer had an end plug in it, and the attribution was to Virginia. Other than this one, the oldest I have seen were 1740s period horns, which are few in number. Dated horns become more common in the 1750s on. Hope this helps some.
Dick 

[skillman]

What Rick said!      (Horner75)

Steve