2017 CLF Auction Item: Hunting Pouch, Horn, and Knife Set by Jeff Luke, Joe-D Baxter, and Jonah Cain

 

In the modern world, making and using tools from natural materials is a refreshing way to connect to reality. For this year’s CLF Live Fundraising Auction, a trio of artists has teamed up to create a hunting rig that evokes straightforward craftsmanship and rugged performance.

The set is built around a hunting bag by Jeff Luke, a longtime auction supporter. Luke explains that the set is intended to “represent a typical backwoods hunting rig from the mountains of Tennessee in the early years of the 1800's.” The pouch is made from vegetable tanned calf hide, hand stitched with linen thread, distressed, and then dyed to a deep brown hue. The front flap of the pouch was made from the raw edge of a leg portion of the hide. The front panel binding and welt were hand fringed to give a rustic "backwoods" look. The leather strap is adjustable by means of a forged iron buckle by John Rader. 

The set includes a razor-sharp patch knife by Jonah Cain. Forged from an antique hay rake tine, the blade is affixed to a whitetail antler handle; the silver pommel is peened to secure it in place. The knife rests in a primitive bark-tanned deer hide sheath which is sewn to the pouch’s strap. 

This set includes a simple yet elegant horn by Joe-D Baxter. This horn features an elegantly tuned spout, a turned cherry base plug, and a cherry stopper. The horn is always ready for use, and hangs from leather wings attached to the pouch strap.   

For more information on the work of the artists, contact:

Jeff Luke: poboygear@gmail.com

Jonah Cain: jonahcain501@gmail.com

Joe-D Baxter: jdbaxter87@gmail.com

Text by Joshua Shepherd

Photography by David Wright

To see all the artists’ postings for the 2022 CLF Fundraising Auction go to:

http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2022-fundraising-auction/

2017 CLF Auction Item: New York Map Horn by Steve Lodding and H. David Wright

Steve Lodding and H. David Wright have teamed up to create a spectacular engraved powder horn inspired by an original in a private collection.  The antique French and Indian War period New York map horn, attributed to the "Pointed Tree" carver contains a base plug that was uniquely painted with a scene of a gentleman hunting birds over his dog. 

Lodding, who made and engraved the horn, used features of the "Pointed Tree" carver for this horn. Wright painted the plug.  

Steve started with a raw horn; 16 inches in length was donated by noted horn maker, Tom Bowen (American Tradition, July 2011).  The completed horn with a 3 inch base plug features a paneled throat and decorative raised rings. The horn surface is completely covered with engraving of a map depicting New York to Lake Ontario including military outposts, waterways, cities, and towns of the mid 1700's.  Interspersed throughout are charming folk art images such as marching soldiers, windmills, ships, pointed trees, several deer, and a dog chasing and a hunter shooting a deer.  A fine rendition of British coat of arms also adorns the horn. A cartouche is included, as were on horns during the 18th century and it has been left blank for a future owner to have his or her name engraved. To create even more interest and artistic appeal, Steve polychromed the engraving with red and green colors as were some of the very best map horns of the period, and then aged it with a patina to give it a warm pleasing look of an old horn.  

Multi talented gun maker, horner, and all around talented artist, Steve Lodding has been a long time member of the CLA.  This is his third work of art he has created and donated to the CLF Funding Raising Auctions. 

Artist H. David Wright painted the base plug. Using oil paint such as was used on the original wood plug, Wright set about to copy the art as closely as he could - and also to recreate the aged look of the old painted plug. While examining the original plug, he found, through deterioration and chipped areas of the paint, it had been underpainted with a white base coat – oil paint, or possibly a gesso medium. So, to achieve the same appearance of the painted art, he used white gesso as an underpainting medium and painted over that with oils - adding the glazes and chipped off areas of the paint to replicate the age on the plug. To find a scene painted on an antique powder horn plug is rare, indeed - let alone one of a hunting scene which is very reminiscent of English works. A plug with a painted scene of a hunter makes this powder horn an even more unique contribution to this year's Live Auction. 

Steve Lodding (patentbreech1@embarqmail.com) 

H. David Wright (dw@davidwrightart.com)

H. David Wright is a charter member of the CLA and this is his third contribution to the CLF auctions. 

Text by D Wright

2017 CLF Auction Item: Rifle by James Frost

The early history of the rifle in America is always fascinating and problematic.  We know that rifles were in use on the frontier prior to the French and Indian War. John Fraser mentioned the loss of seven “rifled guns’ at the Battle of Fort Necessity.  Even earlier, in 1743, the trader John Armstrong stole a “rifled gun” and a horse from a Delaware Indian.  Armstrong’s murder when the Delaware caught up with him is recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives.

Who these early gunsmith’s were and what their rifles looked like is primarily an area of conjecture. The known dated early rifles tap out around 1760. Some rifles may be earlier but they are not dated. And early rifles are seldom signed or even initialed. There are a few gunsmiths that reliable documentation suggests were active before 1755. Jacob Dubbs is one of these gunsmiths and so is John Fraser who appears to have apprenticed to Dubbs. Dubbs worked in the Lehigh Valley and a rifle in Rifles of Colonial America is now attributed to him. This is rifle number 59, a rifle with a number of early characteristics.

CLA artist James Frost has created a rifle, loosely based on RCA number 59 and some other early guns from Lehigh and Northampton to Berks and Lebanon. John Bivins noted in 1968 in Longrifles of North Carolina “‘The early rifle, dating before the end of the revolution, tended strongly to exemplify strongly the simplicity of the so-called Queen Anne period. . .”

This rifle captures that spirit which Blevins called “a subtlety of curve and a certain haughty simplicity.”

This gun uses simple but elegant architecture set off by the striking piece of curly maple.  James has used engraved brass castings for the furniture in the manner of the engraved castings that were imported from Europe by early gunsmiths. He also used a cast chevron nose cap. These contribute a tough of flash to the clean simple architecture.   This rifle has a 38" swamped B weight  Colerain barrel, in  50 caliber.  It has a nice balance with the heft of an early rifle.

James Frost has been making rifles for over 30 years and the workmanship and fit on this rifle is flawless.  Ray Franks of Sitting Fox Muzzleloaders graciously donated the components for this auction rifle.

James Frost’s contact information is jimboblues@yahoo.com

Text by Heinz Ahlers

Photos by Heinz Ahlers and David Wright

2017 CLF Auction Item: Elk Hide Hunting Bag by Gary Tingler

The longrifle is an essential part of the longhunter’s kit.  But,the longrifle without the hunting bag is a difficult thing to manage.  You could put the balls in a your pocket, if you had a pocket, or in your mouth, but probably not enough for a “long hunt”  So the hunting bag became a natural accessory to the longhunter’s gun.  It was also a presonal piece of equipment, with a number of styles and materials available, sometimes made by a professional bag maker, sometimes by a neighborhood leather worker, and sometimes by the longhunter himself to fit the needs and style of the individual hunter.  

Gary Tingler donated two hunting bags to this years auction.  One is with the Wrightsman early Lancaster trifle.  This one is a stand alone piece.  The elk hide used on this bag is very supple with a nice comfortable feel and the long wearing aspects of elk hide. The bag has fine details. There is extensive use of edge binding,  on the outside flap and on the interior pocket flap.   The applied detail of the hunter’s star on the flap combines with the hand made brass buttons to set the bag off a bit.  The hand forged strap buckle and the Kris Polizzi strap show the attention to detail this maker is known for.

This is a chance to own a great bag with interior pockets that will travel well on your hunting trips.

Gary Tingler’s contact information is:

treeingwalkers@hotmail.com

Text by Heinz Ahlers

Photo 1 by Ric Lambert

Photo 2 through 5 by Heinz Ahlers

photo 6 by K Tingler