Antique Bear Claw Necklace by Hugh Toenjes

Antique Bear Claw necklace with old trade silver cross by Hugh Toenjes. The bear claws are actually 20 years old while the other components are antique including the 12 faceted Russian cobalt beads. The white beads are old shell beads---maybe Native made? They are all stung on several strands of artificial sinue. The bear claws I harvested myself from a cinnamon colored bear in central B.C. about 1987. I was resident in Canada for 37 years and hunted big game in B.C. most of that time. This bear came out it's den and gave chase so it had to be shot. It was old so the claws were large for that type of bear. The hide was not worth saving so I salvaged the claws and most of it's fat for patch lube---I still have some! H.T.

Photos by Mitch Cook.

Hugh Toenjes Cases Presentation Longrifle

The large powder flask is made from a bison horn.

The full stock is curly maple from Pennsylvania and was fashioned with hand tools from a rough blank. I made the lock from modified raw castings which were taken from an original "Durs Egg" lock and fitted it with an adjustable sear. The trigger and trigger plate are filed out of solid stock, fitted with a bias spring and fire blued. The barrel is 42" long in 54 cal. It is rust blued. The butt plate and trigger guard were made up our of raw sand castings and the rest of the furniture was made by hand from solid stock using a file and hacksaw. The cheek rest has a silver north star inlay which in turn has an inlay of "tourmaline" set in gold. H.T.

Photography by Bob Fogt.