Shinin' Times Powder Horns

The horn, a right side carry, had a nice curve to it. Most of the engraving was on the inside and outside curves.

On the outside curve I did an Eagle inside a frame. Flanking the frame are two smaller illustrations.

Here is a closer look at the eagle.

I found this detail in an old engraving and liked it so I used it here. I carried the motif over to the bottom band as well.

Here’s a closer look at the eagle. He stands on a federal shield in front of a group of flags . In his left talons he is clutching an olive branch while in his right he holds a bunch of arrows. Trailing from under his right rear talon is a ribbon on which “ LIBERTY” is engraved.

Most of the work I’ve done has used stippling to create an image. On this horn I elected to use lines almost exclusively to create the images. This is very close up view of the detail in the eagle’s wings.

Flanking the eagle on the outside curve are two small illustrations. This one on the right side of the eagle shows two minutemen in the foreground. One is firing over a wall the other preparing to. In the background one can see the shadow of a minuteman reloading and another firing a little distance along the wall.

On the left side of the eagle there is an illustration of two minutemen in the foreground. One with his back to us firing and the other reloading, his long coat flaring with the breeze.

Between the two figures there is a fallen comrade in shadow and in the background additional patriots manning the ramparts as clouds build in the distance, threatening a change in the weather.

Around the bottom of the horn I did a border which echoes the motif of the frame around the eagle.

This is another look at the illustration on the right side as well as the engrailing at the throat of the horn

In the butt of the horn I put a turned plug of American cherry held in by 8 round birch pins. Inlaid in the buttplug is an artificial ivory medallion with the NMLRA logo engraved on it. The staple is made of sterling silver wire.

This is a close up of the NMLRA medallion in the butt plug of the horn.

On the inside curve I added the image of a hunter, a buck and the words “one of one thousand 2011”.

Here’s a little closer look at the inside curve.

In this photo you can get a little better look at the buck on the right. I adjusted the colors on this shot so the white would pop. In doing so the throat and spout of the horn have sort of disappeared.

Here’s a closer look at the buck.

As is usual with horns, it is impossible to take a close up of a whole image due to the curvature of the surface. Hence, I have taken this photo of the hunter below the waist to show the detail. You can also see some more detail of the engrailing.

Here is the top half of the hunter in detail. One of the challenges of doing images like this is that up close sometimes things appear a bit crude, yet at arms length the image is quite appealing. It’s a challenge I have yet to surmount, as this photo shows.

I enjoy doing lettering and especially if it represents a little challenge. On the inside curve, flanked by the hunter and his quarry, were the words: “one of one thousand 2011”. The “of” was superimposed on the “2011”. This photo shows some detail of that engraving.

I was going for a look similar to the lettering on U.S. currency, and I am happy with the way it turned out. Each letter is hand drawn on and then cut and inked.

Sort of an “artsy” shot showing some of the horn’s twist.

The throat of the horn is engrailed. It steps down to a smooth neck which flows into two carved rings then a faceted spout.

A little closer look at the throat and spout.

There are two carved rings on the neck of the horn. I decided to give them a somewhat floral appearance as I thought it would meld well with some of the other motifs.

The rings closer to the engrailing were carved into the shape of leaves, the slightly back cut and finally engraved to emulate leaves. There is a groove where ones’ strap would be tied. At the side closer to the spout I carved the ring to resemble petals and back cut them more than I did on the leaves. I was trying to get the appearance of a flower opening. You also get a glimpse of the “surprise” I put on the horn here.

Although this horn is water and air tight and could definitely be used in the field, I made the assumption it would e a presentation horn and would in all likelihood reside in a gun cabinet, so I decided to add a touch that was admittedly a little over the top. On the inside of the petals of the carved ring I applied 24kt gold leaf. I was trying to make it a sort of “surprise” such that you couldn’t see the gilding unless you were looking at the horn from the spout end.

Here’s what the horn looks like from the spout end.

The spout is faceted and plugged with a carved and inlaid fiddle peg, dyed to match the horn.