Jeff Bibb Hunting Pouch, Billy Griner Banded Horn, Pick and Brush Set by Jeff Bottiger and Powder Measure by Mark Ewing

 

Photography by Jan Riser.

2014 CLA Live Auction: Chris Barker Hunting Pouch Set

Chris Barker has donated a complete hunting pouch rig.  Chris designed the bag and constructed the rig, doing all of the leather work. 

The material for the bag was donated by Joel Ketonen of the Dallas Muzzle Loading Gun Club,  The accouterments were purchased from noted artisans.  The Southern banded horn and powder measure were made by Mark Ewing, the hand forged buckles and vent pick are from Wilde Weavery, the lining material is from Burnley and Trowbridge.  Jeff White made the knife and Chris notes “The knife is really sharp.  I like to play with anything that shoots, but am scared of the possibility of cutting myself.”

The pan brush is a recycled from a 38 special and a shoe brush.  This bag is roomy.  Sewn with 5 cord unbleached linen thread, it is completely appropriate to the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Everything on the bag is readily detachable so you can customize it as you wish.  I believe it is good to run the river with as it it is.

Although this could make a great display piece I believe it is meant to be used and will give long years of service to the successful bidder.

Chris Barker can be contacted at csbarkeriii@att.net

Copy by Heinz Ahlers with photo by Ric Lambert.

Thought on Hunting Pouches and Horns by Chris Barker

During the last thirty five years I have heard much discussion about the correct way to carry one's shot pouch and powder horn.  Some say the horn should always be carried on a strap separate from the pouch.  Others say the horn must be carried on short straps attached to the shot bag's shoulder strap.  Since these details are not often mentioned in period literature, I began to look at examples in art.  It seems that a horn on a strap separate from the bag was observed with greater frequency in Eighteenth Century examples, and that horns on straps attached to the shoulder straps of the pouch were more likely in the Nineteenth Century.  When the horn was carried on its own strap it could be carried either on the same side as the shot bag or on the opposite side.  I believe that there is no hard and fast rule here.  Powder horns were carried on both their own straps or attached to the bag strap throughout America's entire muzzle loading era.

Presently we see shot pouches more often than not carried on the right side.  The reality is that the shot pouch could be carried on whichever side deemed to be the most comfortable by the user.  In the Appalachians traditionally a left side pouch was the most common, but in photographs of the Soddy shoots during the early Twentieth Century a bag on the right was common.  If the horn was attached to the pouch strap, no matter which side, the horn was pointed to the front.  A modern artist made a serious mistake about this in a text book we use in Texas public schools.  An old pouch and horn set was acquired as a prop for a painting.  It was a right side carry setup.  The horn straps were attached to the pouch strap.  The model put it on his left side.  Thus the horn was backwards!  Now, some folks might have worn a powder horn with the spout to the rear, but that would have presented great difficulties in measuring out powder.  The painting showing the backwards bag and horn setup is well known here, and it has made a number of modern people think that spout to the rear powder horn carry was common.  I truly believe that the painter failed to do his homework before picking up his brush.

I have seen folks carrying shot pouches and powder horns low down on their hips.  This may be due to a famous Frederick Remington painting of a mountain man carrying his shot bag thus.  This portrait, really a caricature, was partially created from Remington's imagination.  It is said that he had never really seen a mountain man, but that he possessed a large collection of Fur Trade and Old West artifacts.  Unknowingly some shooters tried to copy Remington's art.  In the old days folks tended to carry their shot pouches at least at waist level, maybe a bit higher.  This can be clearly seen in examples of period art.  When a person was moving through dense brush or forest it was important to be able to pull the pouch in close with the elbow.  The whole kit was designed to be hung close to the body without projections which could be caught on a branch or bush.

In the examples provided here, the kit on the left has the powder horn on its own strap.  Mike Small made the horn, and I made the bag.  On the right, the horn is suspended on short straps attached to the shot pouch's shoulder strap.  Ed Wilde made the pouch, and Mark Ewing Made the powder horn and measure.

Copy and photos by Chris Barker.

2012 CLA Live Auction: "Joseph Stewart" Horn and Pouch Set by Chris Barker, Mark Ewing, Bill Carter and Eric Van Alstine

Team work and cooperation have become hallmark of the CLA and its members. The "Joseph Stewart" horn and pouch set made especially for the upcoming CLA live auction in Lexington this August, and the four CLA members that worked together to create it, embody what that attitude can accomplish even by proxy working together separately across the country.

The coordinator of this project was Chris Barker, and he describes how the team members pulled it all together best:     

"During the Autumn of 2011 CLA official Tim Albert contacted me regarding a project for the CLA's 2012 Live Auction in Lexington.  The theme was to be the War of 1812.  The Contemporary Longrifle Association wanted a reproduction of a pouch and horn set of that time. I agreed to make a shot pouch.  Mark Ewing of Lincolnton, North Carolina volunteered to make the powder horn, and Eric Van Alstine of Mexico, Missouri offered to make a bag knife. 

Tim found photos and specifications for a powder horn with provenance to the War of 1812.  The powder horn was the property of Joseph Stewart, a veteran of that war.  Tim sent this information to Honourable Company of Horners and CLA craftsman Mark Ewing.  Mark produced a fine documentary copy of the Stewart horn.  Mark forwarded the horn on to Bill Carter who reproduced the scrimshawed inscription original to the old horn.  Bill is also a CLA and HCH craftsman.  Their combined work created an exacting copy.  


Meanwhile I tried to find photos of a shot pouch that had been used in the War of 1812.  My search being totally unsuccessful I simply created a pattern for a double D shaped pouch typical of the first quarter of the 19th Century.  I acquired a small deer skin and applied a darkened patina using various leather dyes.  I am careful not to use oven cleaner or any other caustic substances on leather. 


While this was in progress Eric Van Alstine made a nice knife from an old file, carved a curly maple handle, and fitted it with a cast pewter ferrule.  Eric antiqued the finished knife with great results. 
I obtained a reproduction old time adjustable brass powder measure from Jim Chambers, an iron vent pick from Ed Wilde, and a couple of antique iron Buckles from Jerry Noble.  A patina was applied to the measure.  The bag was lined with a reproduction striped linen from Burnley and Trowbridge.  The shoulder straps are leather.  I made the pick and brush set using Wilde's pick, a brush handle from a modified .38 Special cartridge case, and bristles from an old shoe brush. 


It was a great delight that everything went together so well.  Eric, Mark, Bill, and I all worked on the project without a clear idea of what the other three were turning out.  In the end the powder horn and knife were sent to me, and all the parts of the whole kit went fit beautifully and the proportions ended up being very pleasing to the eye. 


When Mark Ewing sent me the powder horn he included the provenance which Tim Albert had provided.  That information is in the shot pouch, and will be available for inspection at the auction." 

Copy and photos supplied by Chris Barker.

For more information about the auction or CLA membership please visit: Longrifle 

Contemporary Powder Horns at the Cowan's Auction

John Proud

14.5" length, engraved with the British Seal of Arms, Richard Cresey Horn made at Fort Edward Seot 17 1758, winged griffin, fort, and soldier. Engrailed edge, faceted spout, raised ring.

Mark Thomas


13.5" length, engraved, smooth throat with raised ring.

Tom White for Robert Weil

12" length, engrailed edge, smooth throat, silver spout. Engraved with ships, sun, eagle, and Robert Weil his horn.

Scott Sibley

This 11.5" banded beehive was carved by Scott Sibley of Powell, WY. Scott and Cathy Sibley are well-known authors of the best “How-to” book on building powder horns. They wrote the “Bible" of horn making, called Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn, in 2005.

Brian Barker

Mark Ewing

Copy and photos from Cowan Auctions, this item will be in the May 2-3, 2012 Auction.

Honourable Company of Horners 2012 Raffle Set

The horn and pouch set are the raffle items for 2012 and will be displayed at the annual HCH conference in March, and at Dixon’s in July.


The horn made by Billy Griner, is a copy of an original Rowan County, NC piece. It features three bands with a turned, applied antler tip, and a pecan wood base. Overall length is 11 inches around the curve. 

The pouch was made by Jeff Bibb and is a copy of an original pouch from Iredell County, NC. Constructed from cowhide, the pouch is 6.5 inches wide by 7 inches deep. The flap is bound and backed with hemp. There is a hanging ball or patch pocket inside. 

This awesome Southern pouch and horn are complimented by other handmade items. The measure was turned from horn by Mark Ewing, and pick and brush set were made by Jeff Bottiger.

Copy and photos supplied by Honourable Company of Horners. Tickets can be downloaded from the link.

Jeff Bibb Hunting Pouch, Billy Griner Banded Horn, Pick and Brush Set by Jeff Bottiger and Powder Measure by Mark Ewing

Photographed at the 2011 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Chris Barkers' Rig

CLA artisans create works in many different disciplines. I have had the good fortune to have examples by a number of them fall into my hands. I selected a rifle from my small collection and photographed it with pieces by CLA artisans who are experts in their given fields.

The rifle was made by Dick Breitenstein. It was made from dark photographs of the Robert Hughes rifle in John Bivins' book on North Carolina longrifles. The full stock is American Black Walnut. The iron furniture is all hand forged. The toe of the butt plate and the toe plate are pinned. Dick put the lock together from various components, and he hand swamped the .36 cal. 44" octagonal barrel. Dick felt that the off-the-shelf swamped barrels available at the time (mid '90s) had too much taper. At the time the order was placed there were numerous Southern mountain style rifles being turned out. Too much "artistic license" was built into many of them. Some looked like they had been turned out by big city gun smiths, and mountain simplicity was lost. Dick wanted to make a Southern Mountain Rifle that looked like the real thing. I could not have been more pleased with the results.

The shot pouch was made by Jim Webb. The body is brain tanned and walnut dyed buckskin. The flap retains the hair, and there is a fylfot in the center of the flap. Inside there is a large pocket with a flap closed by an antler button. The shoulder strap was woven by C. J. Wilde. I made and attached the fringed buckskin finials. Jim had left tabs for strap attachment projecting a couple of inches from the sides of the bag. This made lacing on the shoulder strap an easy job. The powder horn and turned measure were made by HCH horner Mark Ewing. Mark lathe turned the walnut base plug, horn bands, spout, stopper, and measure. The bands were heat shrunk in place and attached with tiny iron pins. I made the powder horn strap, and attached the measure. I put together the pick and brush set from a vent pick from Ed Wilde, a .357 magnum cartridge case, and bristles from an old shoe brush. You can't see it in the picture, but there is an iron buckle obtained from Ed. Wilde on the horn strap. The knife and scabbard were made by Tommy Stanford. Tommy made the blade from an antique cross cut saw blade. The flattened priming horn was made by Barry Anderson. The reproduction 18th Century compass, and the flint knapping hammer came from Track of the Wolf. The silver oil bottles were purchased from Dixie Gun Works nearly forty years ago. I made the bullet bag. The neck and stopper, as well as the bullet board, were made by Bill Jones of the long closed Alpine Dulcimer company. The pig skin cleaning tool and flint bag was made by Joe Erwin, manufacturer of the elegant leather covered Doc's Shooters Box.

The contents of my two photographs just barely scratches the surface of that wonderful group of artisans. I am indeed fortunate to know and to have worked with a number of them. When I pick up a rifle or reach into my pouch I have the pleasure of deeply experiencing the Longrifle Culture. Lifetimes of research, effort, and craftsmanship went into my kit, and I appreciate it more and more every day.

Copy and photos supplied by Chris Barker.

North Carolina Banded Horn by Mark Ewing

The horn is a nice transparent golden green color and has been scraped nice and thin. It has 4 turned horn bands and a 2 piece applied antler tip.

                                               

Photos supplied by Mark Ewing.

North Carolina Banded Horn by Mark Ewing

This NC banded horn is by North Carolina hornsmith Mark Ewing. It is not an exact copy of an original but is a composite horn of three horns from the same area, Alamance County, NC. The plug is local wild cherry and the body has horn bands turned, and heat applied, then the pinned with hardwood pins. The plug is attached with low dome tacks in 5/16 and 1/4 sizes. The tip is 2 piece, with a turned antler collar and a turned horn tip piece. These are assembled and applied to the horn with small steel pins.

Thanks to HCH Billy Griner for sending the copy and photos supplied him by Mark Ewing.