18th Honourable Company of Horners Annual Meeting

If I could have one ‘Guild’ wish to kick off the New Year it would be that every member of our great organization could attend the Annual Meeting!  It’s one thing to read about it in The Horn Book and Website, but the experience of actually attending this event far surpasses one’s imagination.  To see the workmanship, speak with the artisans, witness the hornwork being done by the Masters and Journeymen, attend the seminars and seeing friends and meeting new ones is quite an experience.  To further promote horn work and increase attendance, the general public is once again invited and will be charged a $4 per person admission fee.

I know of no other organization that has a meeting format like ours, and that my friends, is just one feature that sets us apart.  Once again, all Guild members are encouraged to dress in 18th century attire which adds a lot to our gathering.

As for things to see and do, there’s the display area with tables of handmade horn artifacts and artisans to answer any questions you may have.  There’s the popular Interactive Workshop that will have eight separate work stations manned by Masters and Journeymen demonstrating all facets of hornworking from basic scraping to heating and pressing, and from lathe work to intricate engraving, it’s all here.  Just interface directly with the Masters / Journeymen and discuss issues of specific interest to you.  Remember, polished horns will be available for sale along with expert selection advice based upon your horn project.

As part of the Interactive Workshop series, Dick Toone will again be demonstrating the use of a spring pole lathe and Frank Willis has volunteered to give instruction on making leather hunting bags.

Hunting Bags – Along with Frank Willis’ presentation, there will be over 20 original hunting bags and horns featured in the main display area for you to study.

Raffle – Kris Polizzi has done an outstanding job in taking over the Fund Raising Committee from Ed McDilda.  This year’s raffle features a compass box, drinking cup, two powder horns, a hand woven buffalo wool strap, hand made tool set, rum horn and blowing horn – that makes  eight opportunities to win!

Two special seminars will be given by Tom Ames.  Seminar I (Friday) will be on the  Interpretation of Symbolism and Seminar II (Saturday) is a follow-up entitled Symbolism-A Comparative Study on Hornwork.  If you are interested in symbolism, it is strongly recommended that you attend both seminars as the first forms a basis for the second seminar.

More information can be found here.

Copy supplied by the Honourable Company of Horners.