The Minor Horn
This horn was commissioned by a collector. he wanted a cameo of his wife on the horn bracketed by her favorite flower, Lilac; along with his favorite American Indian images. I added a lilac blossom in silver wire inlay in the base plug.
Click on the small picture to enlarge it. Once you are in the slide view mode you can use the arrows to see another picture. In addition to the Dog Dancer and the other elements, the client asked for a representation of a sacred medicine staff; The Hawk Staff. Above the Hawk Staff you can see a band around the throat of the horn which contained the client’s name.
A fan of eagle feathers, each one separated by a beadis tied to the hawk staff just below the hawk.
This image was fashioned after the painting by Karl Bodmer of a “Minatarre Warrior in the Costume of the Dog Dance.” It was an image requested by the client as one of his favorites as a young boy.
A close up of some of the detail in the image of the Dog Dancer.
I used a classic engraving border for the band around the base. Just above it you see the dancers’ leg and foot. Notice the detail in the foot. You can see the wear in his moccasin.
There is an oval cameo in the bottom band about 1 1/8 x1 inches. The image is a rendition of the client’s wife taken from a photograph. Her face is framed by her favorite flower: the Lilac.
This horn had a flat butt plug made of elm. I inlaid silver wire in it in the shape of a lilac blossom – the favorite flower of the client’s wife.
