Calvin Tanner Bag for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Photographed at the 2010 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Glen McClain Knife with Cam McClain Sheath for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Photographed at the 2010 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Quilled Kahnawake Indian Style Strap and Trade Horn Made by Amanda Webster and Steve Lodding and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

This fine native style decorated strap and powder horn set looks like it came straight out of the 18th century. Based on the surviving work of the “Kahnawake Mohawk”, Amanda Webster has copied an original strap, made of black dyed deer skin and natural linen backing. As on the original, she has edged the strap in black silk, and decorated with naturally dyed quills. The colors were traditionally derived from cochineal, yellow root, wild grape and walnuts, and yielded the rich oranges and blacks for the quills, and the beautiful yellows used to dye the deer hair used to fill the brass cones.

The attached horn was crafted by Steve Lodding, and is a typical 18th century style carved trade horn that traditionally, visually and functionally, is perfectly matched to Amanda’s work. Simply constructed and carved like many of the original trade horns it is based upon, Steve has aged the horn and given it the warm look and feel found on the old ones.  The Kahnawake Indians - “Keepers of the Eastern Door” had good relations with early Europeans, and this traditionally native style decorated strap and horn set is an artistic example of those two cultures melding.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photo by H. David Wright.

Cartouche Knife Made by Ken Gahagan and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

 “Honest Brother” Ken Gahagan is famous for making an exacting recreations of colonial Americana and early American furniture.  For the auction he has made a traditional fancy brass, horn filled filigree handled, “Cartouche” knife. Patterned directly on an original knife in his own private collection, Ken strives to get every detail correct, right down to hand forging the tool steel blade to the profile and blade thickness found on his rare original. It is a demanding and special skill to then press and mold traditional horn sheets into the fancy filigree cut outs in the brass handle that make this style of knife the iconic trade item that it is. Back in the hey day of the fur trade “Cartouche” knives like this were very highly prized are rare trade items.  Ken’s recreation donated to this year’s auction will be no less rare or prized.  Today you will find many of the surviving original Cartouché knives in highly quilled Woodland Indian knife sheaths.  The  CLA has a great selection of artists who can make a finely quilled sheath that this knife will fit right into.       

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photo by Bob Webb.

Silver Shell Gorget Made by “Honest Brother” David Hughes and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

“Honest Brother” Dave Hughes has something just for you. Patterned after the original that was found in Alabama, this “round shell” type silver gorget was made especially for this year’s auction. Like the original, Dave has engraved it on its convex surface, decorating it with traditionally native motifs like opposing triangles, diamonds, a cross that represents the thunderbird of the upper world, a rattler that is understood to represent the underworld, and the four directions just like the original. Then curiously, the totally European words “South Carolina” have been hand engraved in old time scripted lettering just like they were on the original. David is one of today’s top traditional trade silver makers, and he has donated a copy of a rare and unique piece of documented trade silver.

                          

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert and photo by Bob Webb.

French Type D Fusil Made and Donated by Rich Dillon for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

If you would prefer a gun from the middle of the 18th century, say one built along the classic French lines that influenced generations of American gunsmithing then you will definitely be interested in the 1749, French, St. Etienne type “D” fusil made in the style of French gunsmith Girard by Rich Dillon of Dillon’s Flintlocks.. The winner of several ribbons at last year at Dixon’s Gun Fair, including “Best of Class, Traditional” for Journeymen, Rich found inspiration for this gun in the writings of T.M. Hamilton, and it is of a style that was commonly used about the time of the Natchez War, when it is thought that many of them fell into native hands. Rich’s fusil features a 44” octagon to round barrel in 16 gauge donated by the Getz Barrel Company, a fine period lock donated by Larry Zornes of The Mould and Gun Shop, and wood donated by Dunlap WoodCraft. All remaining parts were either made or purchased by Rich. You may know that “Dillon’s Flintlocks” is run by Rich and his father Ed, and that they are both full time gun builders. All of the various parts used to construct this gun are hand inlet the old fashioned way, as are all the parts of every gun made by them. And every gun is finished with a special five step process, and is presented as “new”, having the true original look and feel of the historical piece that it was inspired by.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by Tim Albert with photos by Bob Webb.

“Tammany” Screw Tip Powder Horn Made and Donated by Master Horner Art DeCamp for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Noted Master Horner, Art DeCamp has crafted a highly authentic recreation of an upper Lehigh/Allentown Pennsylvania screw tip powder horn dating from the 1760 to the 1770 period. Well known for his high level of craftsmanship, and for the authentic detail used in his work, Art made this horn in a truly traditional manner, copying original profiles onto both the lathe turned black horn tip and maple butt, and using the proper 9/16” x 9 per inch screw threads, insuring that this horn has all of the identifying characteristics of the much sought after original screw tips made in this region. Then, following an old time recipe, he mixed a traditionally lead oxide based pigment and decorated the front of the horn with the image of “Chief Tammany”, or “Liberty Cap” figure which is often seen decorating items made in the upper Lehigh area during the 1760s. The back panel was then decorated with a diamond border, two “Tree of Life” figures, and traditionally random polka dots. Moravian craftsmen of this region traditionally fashioned similar horns to supply the local trade, a trade which included local Native Americans.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photo by Bob Webb.

Master Horner Roland Cadle Makes and Donates His “Warrior” Screw Tip Powder Horn for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Recognition and many thanks must be given to Roland Cadle for taking on the job of chairing and organizing and event on this year’s scale and to Mike Galban for  authenticating each of the items crafted for this year’s auction as “Certifiably Native”. But Roland, also well known as one of the nation’s leading horn smiths didn’t stop there. He crafted and donated a traditionally hand made Philadelphia style screw tip horn, copied after one that was collected and taken back to England in the 18th century. An image of this horn is shown in the book “Warriors”, and Roland has also provided a copy of that book as well as an additional letter of correspondence that further details the horn’s provenance. This letter was specially obtained by Roland from the current owner  of the original horn which resides in the U.K., and adds doubly to this horn’s unquestionable provenance.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy submitted by T.C. Albert.  Photo by Bob Webb

Finger Woven Strap Made by Tom Condé and MICMIC Style Powder Horn by Mike Small and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

The bead pattern on the finger woven strap was taken from an original that was sold thru Sotheby's New York in Nov. 1995. A rather unusual piece because the bead pattern is different in the center third of the strap than it is on the end thirds. Mike Galban asked me to copy the original for him and after I did so I decided to make a strap using the same pattern but altered it by making it longer. The white glass beads are woven in as were the beads on the original. I have been weaving "in the white" and dying the finished pieces with natural dyes afterwards for many years now and feel it gives a look much more like the originals that we see that are dyed in various reddish tones using madder root or ladies-bed-straw, which is a form of madder native to North America and was well known to the Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands and Great Lakes. I contacted Mike Small and he agreed to make the Micmac style horn to complete the set for the CLA Live Auction. He chose to reproduce a horn from Steven V. Grancsay's book "American Engraved Powder Horns" There are several horns of this style in various collections and some feel that they were probably traded to the Natives as plain horns and were decorated with traditional designs by the owners.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by Tom Condé with photos by Bob Webb.

Chief Paugus Horn Made and Donated by Master Horner John Proud for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Illustrated as the first horn in Jim Dresslar's, this horn is "Certifiably Native" with this provenance, “The horn was taken from Paugus' body by John Chamberlain of Groton, Massachusetts, at the Battle of Lovewell's Pond in what is now Maine on May 8, 1725”. 

John Proud has crafted a documented copy of an engraved horn collected early in the 18^th century. Pictured on pages 2 and 3 of Jim Dresslar’s book The Engraved Powder Horn the Chief Paugus horn is regarded as one of the earliest engraved American horns, and was captured on May 8, 1725, at the battle of “Lovewell’s Pond” Maine, when the original was taken from the chief’s body by John Chamberlain of Groton, Massachusetts.

To copy the original, John first chose a raw horn that matched the original in both shape and size.He then built and carved it as much like the Chief Paugus horn as he could in every detail.   The horn is fully engraved prominently displaying two crowned heads, one with a heart in the middle of the breast, birds, a doe deer, a string of wampum along one side, flowers and vines, a beaver and - Chief Paugus' tribal symbol, a turtle.   

The actual carving on the original seems to be done by as many as three different hands, so to match it, John also altered his own carving style. Determining how to carve the portions of the original horn not illustrated was also another challenge, but John blended these sections with what is seen with similar carvings. This horn especially illustrates just how early that Europeans and Native Americans began to exchange and even merge key elements of their cultures.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photos by Bob Webb.

Delaware Sheath and Shawnee neck Bag Made and Donated by David and Diane Chambers for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

 The husband and wife team of Dave and Diane Chambers are long time and veteran makers of just such Native American items. You may recognize them from one of the many traditional beading seminars that they have given, or maybe you have read the “Book Of Buckskinning III” chapter authored by Diane on the subject. For our auction they have researched and recreated copies of two well documented Native American pieces. The first is a fine Delaware knife sheath, circa 1820 from the Derby collection, and the second is an equally fine copy of a Shawnee neck bag circa 1740 currently housed in a museum collection in Manchester England. Dave and Diane have a well earned reputation for being well qualified to recreate such work, and have done both restorative and documentary work for museums and collectors for many years. Except for the glass beads, all of their materials are hand processed and hand sewn by them. Even way back in 18th century items like these were not only made and proudly worn by the Native Americans that created them, but were collected and sought after by some of the finest museums in America and Europe simply for their artistic merit. If you want to bid on either of these two classic items, or would like to talk to Dave and Diane about their work, please plan to see them at the show they would be happy to visit with you in person.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photos by Bob Webb.

Double Thunderbird Quilled Pouch Made by Michael Taylor and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

A quill decorated, native style shoulder bag is also a useful and necessary item for life on the trail, if you have one, then you know what I mean , and if not, then this item may be for you. With that in mind Michael Taylor has made a “Double Thunderbird” porcupine quilled pouch. This bag is inspired by and borrows elements from two separate originals, the first is found in the British Museum and documented in the book Thunderbird and Lightning by JCH King, and the second is housed in the Speyer collection. The quills are carefully hand dyed red, black, or left natural and match the color scheme found on the two originals. Inspired by even a third original bag, the Shawnee style strap is based upon an early 19th century piece housed in the Linden Museum in Germany. Michael used only brain tanned leather that he dressed, smoked and dyed himself. The same is true for the rolled brass cones, and of the hand plucked, sorted and dyed quills which he used for embellishment. This pouch is much like the work being crafted by the Ottawa and Ojibwa in the late 18th or early 19th century, and displays the technique, appearance and stylistic decoration used by Native Americans to create similar pouches during that time period.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photo by Bob Webb.

Traditional Silver Engraved Brooch Made by Joe Valentin and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Long time NMLRA and CLA member Joseph Valentin. Joe has crafted a fine trade silver brooch for his offering. One copied from an original documented in the Frank T. Siebert collection. Joe notes that when pieces such as he has copied here were originally made, trade silver was playing just as big a part in the fur trade as powder and lead. This piece dates to the late 18^th or early 19^th century and is in the style of the more famous trade silver work being done in Montreal, which is often considered to be the birthplace of such silver work, and is the home of such legendary silver smiths as Robert Cruickshank, one of the most recognized makers of the era. Joe’s work is always hand sawn from pure sterling silver, and based on original documented period examples, and he has made his trade silver this way since 1967. Concerned, and rightfully so that it might be easy to confuse his contemporary work with a true antique, Joe carefully hand stamps each item that he makes with his own special touch-mark on the reverse side.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by T.C. Albert with photo by Bob Webb.

Northwest Trade Gun Made by Cam Pitkethley and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

This contemporary version of a Barnett musket made by Cam Pitkethley, (Sudbury, Ontario) is typical of the guns made available for trade by fur trading companies in northern North America during the late 18^th. and early 19^th centuries, most notably by the Northwest Fur Company and, after 1821, by the Hudson’s Bay Company. However, the American Fur Company, the Mackinaw Company, and the U.S. Indian Trade Office also traded Barnett muskets to Native Americans.

Trade guns like this Barnett musket were typically referred to as “Northwest guns,” “Mackinaw guns,” or “Hudson’s Bay fukes.” Less expensive than guns destined for Europeans or American buyers, these Indian trade guns were lightweight, had barrels from 30” to 48””and designed to fire a shot weighing less than an ounce. They have a large trigger guard allowing the gun to be used with gloves or mittens during the coldest months of the year. Typically, Barnett muskets were sold with a sideplate embossed with a dragon ornament that decorated the side of the gun opposite of the locking mechanism, offering Indians an easily recognizable mark of authenticity.

This trade gun is a faithful copy of an original. It feels great in the hand and has the ambience of something produced in the period. Cameron Pitkethley is a Canadian gun maker well known for his quality work.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy by Mel Hankla with photos by Ric Lambert.

Frank and Lally House Team Up to Make a Significant Work for the CLA Live Auction

Combining their talents, this husband and wife team has produced a stellar example of an 18^th century American Indian neck knife sheath with dagger.

The sheath, made and decorated with porcupine quills and moose hair embroidery by Lally is done in the Lenape/Delaware style. She utilizes traditional quilling techniques on brain tan leather which has been dyed to a dark brown. The neck strap is constructed of multiple strands of quill wrapped linen thread with a quilled panel at the top. In keeping with the tradition of recreating a traditional and authentic work of art, all components are dyed by using all natural dyes, and are sewn with linen thread.

The dagger, hand forged by Frank is based on an example shown in Madison Grant’s book The Knife in Homespun America.  The blade is made of spring steel filed with an oval sculpted ricasso and heavy medial ridge on each side.  The Frank House touchmark is stamped into the ricasso.  The fluted handle of hickory is held by an iron washer peened over the tang.

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy and photos supplied by David Wright.

1710 Clubb Butt Fowler Made by Todd Bitler – Made and Donated for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Club Butt Fowlers were some of the first guns brought to this continent through the Upper Hudson River Valley by the Dutch traders who established a trading post at Fort Nassau. Once this post was abandoned, these guns were then taken to Fort Orange, farther up the Hudson River. This region was heavily populated with many Native American tribes eager to trade furs for newly discovered goods with the gun being one of the most valuable and important items. These fowlers were well liked and became popular from the 1650s well into the late 1700s.

The Club Butt Fowler that I replicated is featured in the “Early American Flintlocks” by James B. Whisker and David B. Hartzler. The original is in the David Condon Collection.

The 69 cal., 50” hand-turned round barrel features a two-piece brass sighting rib on top.
 A dove tailed steel rear sight is proportionally positioned between the two-piece brass sighting rib. The front sight is a low blade type made from brass and silver which is soldered to the barrel.


The ignition for this fowler is supplied by a Brown Bess lock that has been reworked to resemble an early Dutch style one. I flattened the round Bess plate, stepped the tail and added file molding. To maintain the early style of the original, the round faced cock was also flattened and the bottom of the plate was banana shaped. I elected to use English Walnut for the stock, which is what the original was made from. The stock blank was donated by Dunlap Woodcraft.

One of the most unique aspects of the gun is a double set trigger. I used a Davis trigger but wanted a different look for the front, so I forged a long slender front trigger, more closely resembling the style of the early originals.
 To cover the double triggers, I made a rifle style guard, very similar in shape to the original. It had a somewhat c-shaped bow and a curled finger extension that laid up against the bottom of the wrist which set it apart from other fowler guards. This guard fits very well with the gun and is extremely comfortable.

The butt plate was replicated from a Hudson Valley fowler seen in Tom Grinsdale’s book “Flintlock Fowlers: First Guns in America”. The various custom decorations on this gun include shell style tang carving, double barrel molding, ramrod entry pipe molding, thin lock and sideplate molding, wavy entry pipe accent on the side of the fore stock, and a deep wrist notch into the side of the butt stock.
 A silver and brass escutcheon decorates the wrist area, which is engraved with small border lines.
 Engraving on the fowler was done by Ken Netting and performed in a Dutch style. The lock is engraved with tulips and florals. The top brass barrel ribs are done with small rococo and vines. The butt plate has a large Dutch tulip and various other flowers and vines. A stylized bird standing on a limb decorates the bottom of the trigger guard.
 A silver cartouche has been chiseled into the barrel and is stamped with my touch mark. Also the top brass rib has been engraved with my name, which closely follows how original makers distinguished their work.
 This gun was stained with traditional stain recipe that I formulated, and coated with a hand rubbed oil finish. All parts of the fowler were aged to resemble a 300 year old original.

All features of this gun are hand made by myself with the exception of the lock and the double-set triggers.


More information about the making of this gun, the history of Club Butt Fowler, and Todd’s work as an artist can be found at his web site. There is also a zoomable photo gallery of the gun which shown close-ups of the gun. (This is an amazing piece so go look at the photo gallery for more photos and close-ups of Todd's work.)

The CLA Live Auction will be on Friday, August 20th at 4:00 PM.

Copy and photos supplied by Todd Bitler.