Northern California Buffalo Powder Horn

[Tanselman]

I keep an eye out for buffalo powder horns, since they don't show up often. Here's one I picked up recently, from northern California. It's more "artistic" than most buffalo horns from the plains, with low relief carving on either side. Front side has a dog chasing a deer, and the back side has a bird hunter shooting a small bird. Perhaps even more interesting is the bulbous walnut butt plug. Its outer surface is shaped into two side panels, with an oval shaped flat area on its nose. One side has what appears to be an Indian canoe/boat, while the other side has a large salmon. The flattened nose has the initials of the original owner carved in relief, "F J S." It's different from the St. Louis type buffalo horns, and almost unique in its bits of artwork. Since I've never seen a buffalo horn like this one, and most viewers probably haven't, either, I thought I'd post it for comments. Dimensions: outside curve [including brass base of charger] = 9", inside curve [etc.] = 5-1/8", plug is 2-15/16" tall and 2-5/16" wide.

Shelby Gallien
 

[Robert Wolfe]

Wow, what a unique horn. Looks like a salmon perhaps locking it in as a western horn?

[Keith Zimmerman]

The chain looks too short to put over a shoulder.  Is it just for decoration maybe?

[Tanselman]

Keith,

The chain is a later addition to hang it on a wall after it was retired. Horn was used... when I got it, it was full of black powder; powder had spilled out into shipping carton and was coming through a couple of the seams. I probably poured out almost half a pound of loose powder. Good thing no postal employee checked out the black specs closely!

Shelby Gallien

[TDM]

The powder is probably still good, a nice extra.

[moseswhite]

pretty Cool horn !!

[PhDBrewer]

Great find. Very neat.
Thanks for sharing!

[J.M.Browning]

keith,

The chain is a later addition to hang it on a wall after it was retired. Horn was used... when I got it, it was full of black powder; powder had spilled out into shipping carton and was coming through a couple of the seams. I probably poured out almost half a pound of loose powder. Good thing no postal employee checked out the black specs closely!

Shelby Gallien

Very nice flask although very reckless of the shipper to mail with the powder our 2nd Amendment is under fire , not to mention the Federal laws  broken . In the end stunts like this affects all firearm owners - not mention posting this on a public Forum ?

[Tanselman]

J.M.,

While I understand your passion with the issues here, I personally do not consider this shipment, or any similar shipments by small auction houses or individuals, as "stunts" or "reckless" but rather expected oversights by those who seldom handle these materials, don't understand them as well as we all do here, and probably aren't knowledgeable about the vast amount of federal legislation that we all have to live with daily. Perhaps the original posting will make all of us a little more aware, when purchasing powder-related items requiring shipping, to check with the seller and help educate them on shipping issues if/when powder is involved. A last thought... if posting the original comments on this forum really has a damaging effect on our 2nd amendment rights, isn't posting a response on this public forum highlighting the risks and legalities with the shipment just as damaging to our 2nd amendment rights???

Shelby Gallien

 

[J.M.Browning]

J.M.,

While I understand your passion with the issues here, I personally do not consider this shipment, or any similar shipments by small auction houses or individuals, as "stunts" or "reckless" but rather expected oversights by those who seldom handle these materials, don't understand them as well as we all do here, and probably aren't knowledgeable about the vast amount of federal legislation that we all have to live with daily. Perhaps the original posting will make all of us a little more aware, when purchasing powder-related items requiring shipping, to check with the seller and help educate them on shipping issues if/when powder is involved. A last thought... if posting the original comments on this forum really has a damaging effect on our 2nd amendment rights, isn't posting a response on this public forum highlighting all the risks and legalities with the shipment just as damaging to our 2nd amendment rights???

Shelby Gallien

Your analogy is ridiculous . Good night

[Notchy Bob]

Thanks for showing this horn, Shelby, and for all of your thoughtful comments.  I’ve not seen a Buffalo horn carved in that way.  I have seen images of powder horns from Mexico, made from domestic bovines, that had all sorts of deep relief carving on them, and I think three Buffalo powder horns from New Mexico that had carved rings around the body.  These were not applied rings, as with “southern banded horns,” but carved out of the horn body.  Anyway, I’m wondering if ornamental/artistic relief carving may have been “a western thing.”

In any event, I’ve never seen a horn like that one!  Thanks for posting.

Notchy Bob