2020 CLA Live Auction: FLINTLOCK PISTOL by Dennis Kelley

In early America handguns were traditionally considered the weapon of choice for gentlemen, but pistols also saw wide use across the frontier. Whether used to settle duels of honor back east or as a weapon of last resort in a dangerous backcountry, one shot from a flintlock pistol could spell the difference between the here and the hereafter. 

            Bidders at this year’s CLF fundraising auction will have the perfect opportunity to own a fine flintlock pistol by gunmaker and artist Dennis Kelley. Kelley modestly states that this offering is “my interpretation of a ‘poor boy’ or what I would call a working man's pistol.” The pistol is built around a rifled .40 caliber Green Mountain Barrel, and is fitted with a “Becky’s Lock” formerly manufactured by Davis.

            This iron mounted handgun is stocked with an exceptional example of curly maple, and sports a rich amber patina. Artist Dennis Kelley has been creating blackpowder firearms for 45 years, and his vast experience at the workbench is on full display in the straightforward execution of this outstanding sidearm. 

For more information on the work of Dennis Kelley, contact the artist directly at:

kelley805@aol.com

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

Copy by Joshua Shepherd

Photography by Gordon Barlow

2020 CLA Live Auction: BAG AND HORN SET by Jeff Luke

Bag size:  Height 10”    Width  7 ½”

Powder horn: 13” Outside curve

Whether they’re carried afield for a day’s hunt or hung as period décor in your home, few period crafts exude the allure of the early frontier as well as a nicely paired hunting bag and horn.

This year’s CLF fundraising auction features a stellar set crafted by artist Jeff Luke. Luke created a quintessential hunter’s set to reflect what might have been carried on the frontier by a man of modest means toward the end of the 18th century. The fringed bag, constructed of bark tanned deer skin, displays a rich brown patina. The underside of the flap is lined with aged pillow tick, and the bag also has an inner pocket and flint pockets hand stitched with linen thread. The heavy-duty cowhide strap is fully adjustable by means of a rugged hand forged round buckle. The hunting bag also comes with a small bark-tanned ball bag with a simple antler stopper.

The powder horn that accompanies this bag is an understated treasure that exudes the simple dignity of the early frontier. The horn’s stopper is hand carved walnut, and the base plug is white oak, secured to the horn with iron nails. The artist adorned the side of the horn with a simple but dignified scrimshaw inscription that succinctly captures the modest hopes of any outdoorsman: “Hunt Long, Live Well.”  

For more information on the work of Jeff Luke, contact the artist directly at:

poboygear@gmail.com

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

2020 CLA Live Auction: FISHING THEMED POWDER HORN & BAIT HORN SET by Albert Emanuel

Powder Horn length:  9 ¼”

Bait horn length:: 4 ½”

Hunting and fishing are twin pursuits that have shaped outdoor life throughout American history. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, Arizona artist Albert “Ace” Emanuel has crafted a stunning pair of horns that will be useful on the hunt or by the lake.

 Emanuel’s powder horn is a fine example of the flat variety, fitted with a poplar base plug. The stopper was crafted from horn, carved into the shape of a fish, and then detailed with lightly scrimshawed features. White highlights on the fish mouth were added with a mixture of horn dust and glue.

The set is accompanied by an ingenious bait horn that’s an original design from the artist. Emanuel made use of a slightly bulged and misshapen horn to make the bait container. The bottom of the horn is pine, while the top stopper was turned from a piece of Arizona juniper cedar. The lid, paired with a leather lanyard and a simple wooden toggle, keeps the bait safely secured within the horn. The surface of the piece features delightful scrimshaw of two fishermen, inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, “a passion of mine,” says the artist, “along with horn and bag fabrication.”     

Although Emanuel modestly notes that using the deformed horn was nothing more than a case of “turning a ‘pig into a poke’”, his offering for this year’s CLF fundraising auction is a masterful pairing of an original concept with expert craftsmanship.  

For more information on the work of Albert Emanuel, contact the artist directly at: lazyaceaz2@aol.com

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

2020 CLA Live Auction: QUILLED HAT BAND by Djuana Tucker

During the 18th and 19th centuries, no self-respecting gentleman, or scoundrel, for that matter would consider venturing into public without a hat. For the modern-day frontiersman headed for the range, the rendezvous, or the woods, that hasn’t changed. For those hoping to set their headgear apart from the crowd, CLA artist Djuana Tucker has donated a unique quill wrapped rawhide hatband to this year’s fund-raising auction. Typical of Tuckers work, the piece is constructed with historically appropriate materials. The artist relied on authentic natural dyes to achieve the color palette: madder root for red and osage orange sawdust, indigo, and madder root to achieve black. The hatband is wide and 22 long, with a brain tanned leather lace on each end, ensuring that the piece will fit any size hat.

One of the premiere quill workers in the nation, Tucker is a regular donor to the CLA auction. Though the artist is firmly grounded in a knowledge of original quillwork, Tucker is a skilled designer in her own right. “I refer to catalogs of museum collections and photographs of original pieces for reference,” she explains, “but I am also inspired by the world around me.” Such an approach affords the artist a good measure of creative freedom. “I tend to focus on design aesthetic and composition rather than perfection in the quillwork pieces I create.”

For further information on the work of the artist, contact:
Djuana Tucker
2539 Angela Drive
Granite City, IL 62040
618-975-8897
Djuana70@yahoo.com
Follow on Facebook

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

Copy by By Joshua Shepherd

Photography by Lon Brauer

2020 CLA Live Auction: EARLY 19TH CENTURY HUNTING POUCH SET By Lawrence Fiorillo, Todd Hambrick, Casey McClure

Dimensions: 8 ½” wide x 9” high

Lawrence Fiorillo, Todd Hambrick and Casey McClure have donated this great looking Hunting set with a homespun air to this year’s auction.  Created around a bark tanned, ample sized hunting pouch this rig is loaded with fine touches.  The finely fringed trim on the bag, the rolled edge and the lined flap show Larry's leather working skills.  The leather strap has a rawhide lined sheath for Casey’s hand forged knife.  The knife on the pouch strap is always a nice feature.  Casey’s knife is exceptional, a finely forged, antler handled working knife in a useful size for all around work (and razor sharp, too).  Todd Hambrick’s horn brings this whole set together and gives it just the right touch of frontier art.  Although the art is period primitive it is well executed.  Fine details abound in this set; note the wrapping on the ends of the horn strap, the poured pewter bolster on the knife, the hand forged buckle and the “hair” fringe on the bag.         

This is a perfect set for a Southern Mountain rifle, an early fur trade percussion rifle or a big old meat on the table smoothbore. The CLF is proud to present this at auction.

Lawrence Fiorillo

Black Powder Pouches

blackpowderpouches@yahoo.com

Todd Hambrick

hmbrkall@aol.com

Casey McClure

jcmcclure@aol.com

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

Copy by Heinz Ahlers

Photography by H. David Wright

2020 CLA Live Auction: KINGS MOUNTAIN BAG AND HORN By Jack Weeks and Rick Lorenzen

Hunting Bag - 8 inch X 9 inch, Horn 16 inches on outside curve

Jack Weeks and Rick Lorenzen have assembled a rig typical of those used by American Patriots that hailed from the back country settlements in Virginia, North Carolina and what is now Kentucky and Tennessee.  These “Overmountain Men” from the western slope of the crest of the Blue Ridge, mustered at Sycamore Shoals, near present Elizabethtown, Tennessee for the march on Colonel Patrick Fergusons Loyalist troops raiding the Carolinas.

Charles William Parkingham Hooper Adams, (1745 -?) Jack’s 5th great-grandfather trekked east from his home in western North Carolina with Lenoir’s Rangers for the valiant fight at King’s Mountain South Carolina.

Ferguson had a force of 100 Provincial regulars and these were joined by 1000 Loyalist militia.  Ferguson reached North Carolina's Broad River, where he issued a pugnacious public letter, calling the local militia to join him lest they be "pissed upon by a set of mongrels" (the Overmountain Men).  Distrust and dislike ran deep on both sides in the battles in the Carolinas.

On October 7, 1780, a mounted force of 900 Overmountain men surrounded Ferguson on King’s Mountain and proceeded to attack uphill, frontier rifles and Indian tactics versus Redcoats and loyalists holding the high ground.  The result was one of the salient victories of the Revolution and the beginning of Cornwallis’s road to Yorktown.

Jack and Rick have created a horn and bag to celebrate the Battle of King’s Mountain and Jack’s great grandfather’s service.  Jack’s simple bark tanned deer hide bag has a woven strap and a forged iron buckle. The strap carries a forged vent pick and Jack’s hand made bear hair pan whisk.  Bag and strap are hand dyed dark brown.  Included is a handmade bark tanned deer hide bullet bag, dyed to match. It sports a whittled maple stopper, decorative cones with red dyed dear hair tassels and a braided hemp cord strap.

Rick’s superb gray-green scrimshawed horn is graced with period correct floral and geometric designs including an eagle, folk art animals and a crescent moon with stars. “Lenoir’s Rangers NC 1780” pays tribute this North Carolina Company that fought and died for our freedom,  An engraved quote from the Bible, John 15.1, calls to mind the is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Rick’s horn has a turned wood plug secured with wooden pegs. It features a panelled tip with an engrailled edging.  Attached to the horn’s tip is a boar’s tooth powder measure.  Jack added an adjustable vegetable tanned strap with a forged iron buckle. To complete the outfit Rick donated an 11 inch belt knife with a 6 inch blade and antler handle by an unknown maker.  Jack added a sheath with raw silk lacing, and hand dyed to match the bag and horn. 

Rick and Jack can be rightfully proud of this rig.  It is constructed in the simple style of the overmountain folk but reflects their deadly purpose to safeguard their families and drive the British out from their land.

Ferguson was right.  And Cornwallis was on the road to Yorktown

Jack Weeks

Two Ravens Leather Work

PO Box 214

Luzerne MI 48636

(909) 390 3676

jlwweeks@gmail.com

Rick Lorenzen

Rick Lorenzen Powderhorns

PO Box 1640

Acme, Michigan 49610

rickpsalm91@gmail.com

To see all the Artists' contributions to the 2020 CLF Live Fund Raising Auction, visit our website at http://www.contemporarylongriflefoundation.org/2020-live-auction/

Copy by Heinz Ahlers

Photography by H. David Wright