Hunting Pouch Set by Cory Joe Stewart

The knife was made by Nathan Allen, the strap was made by Kris Polizzi and the Curt Lyles forged the two buckles.  

I do not know who made the pick and whisk set, but it is handmade. 

Copy and photos supplied by Cory Joe Stewart.

HCH 2020 Auction Horn

Length is 14 inches.  It sports an engrailed edge followed by a 5 inch round to octagonal throat with 2 large and three small wedding bands.  The butt plug is 3 inch turned Walnut, and has a turned horn stopper.  Inscriptions include: The Honourable Company of Horner's, 24th Anniversary 1996 - 2020.  

Carvings include:  F & I War Fort Augusta, small township, British Royal Seal, hunter shooting at birds, Smoking frog, Hellhorse, Frightened Moon & Star, geometric design on bottom with cross, dove, humming bird, flowers and butterfly. HCH cartouche and maker's cartouche. 

Accompanying this horn is a very nice custom Kris Polizzi horn strap.

This horn will be auctioned off during the 24th annual HCH Horn Fair from Thursday, March 5th thru Saturday March 7th, to be held at the U.S.Army Heritage & Education Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.   The auction for this horn will be held during the Saturday night banquet in the Exhibit Hall.  Activities include: Interactive work stations manned by Journeyman & Master Hornsmiths, & Seminars, This year's Presentation of the 1 of 1000 Powder Horn to be presented to the NMLRA representative, and demonstrations of the Guild's spring pole lathe, Two informative seminars and the Saturday night banquet & auction.  

Copy and photographs supplied by Kevin Hart.

Hunting Pouch by Eric Ewing

No. 172: Hometanned deer hide, bark tan deer hide; linen fabric; woven strap by Kris Polizzi; steel buckle.

Copy and photos by Eric Ewing from here.

2019 CLA Live Auction: Possibles bag by Gary Tingler with Woven Strap by Kris Polizzi

Faithful CLA supporter and skilled craftsman Gary Tingler has created another outstanding hunting bag for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. This piece is a gracefully proportioned possibles bag entirely hand-crafted from hard-wearing buffalo leather, with edges bound in deerskin. The bag, graced with a rich brown patina, has a handy inner pocket, and comes complete with a pewter-capped pick and brush set handmade by Tingler. The bag, which is entirely handstitched in waxed linen thread, is paired with an appropriately matched hand-woven strap by noted artisan Kris Polizzi. The strap, fitted with a forged iron buckle and oil-tanned leather tongue, is fully adjustable.   

            Born and raised in the mountains of West Virginia, Tingler has had a love for history and muzzleloading rifles since childhood.  A leather worker with thirty years of experience, Tingler notes that “the love of the hobby has never lost interest” and he continues to hone his skills in the craft. “It’s not only a hobby,” he points out, “but a love of labor in creating these items of our heritage from long ago.”

For more information, contact artist Gary Tingler directly at: treeingwalkers@hotmail.com

Copy and photos supplied by the CLF.

Woven Straps by Kris Polizzi

Photographed at a CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Handwoven Tape by Kris Polizzi

Photographed at a CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Woven Straps by Kris Polizzi

Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Strap by Kris Polizzi

Photographed at the CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Woven Strap by Kris Polizzi

Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

2017 CLF Auction Item: Hunting Pouch and Horn with Accoutrements by Dwight Umbel, Kris Polizzi and Jerry Eitnier

There are few items in a hunter’s kit as crucial as a trusty possibles bag.  For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, a trio of artisans - Dwight Umbel, Kris Polizzi, and Jerry Eitnier – teamed up to create a visually stunning bag and horn set that’s sure to become a family heirloom.

The bag itself is the creation of CLA artist Dwight Umbel.  Umbel crafted the bag from 2-3 oz. commercially tanned deer hide.  The interior of the bag is fitted with an inside pocket, and is lined with medium weight pillow tick.  The entire piece was painstakingly hand-sewn with waxed linen thread.  Umbel’s skills are on full display on the outside surface of the bag, which was imparted a gracefully aged patina due to the artists’ homemade mixture of leather dyes.  This bag exhibits an aged amber hue that looks straight from the frontier.  The bag is fitted with a hand-forged iron buckle, and Umbel likewise crafted a cane powder measure and antler-tipped vent pick that attaches to the strap by a hand-made copper link chain.

Umbel specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces.  “I can’t say that my bags are period correct,” he says.  “I make what I feel is a bag that the individual can wear no matter what time period he depicts.  I never know what it will look like until after I dye the bag, it dries, and is treated.  No two bags are alike and that’s the joy of it.” 

To help complete this first-class rig, Umbel enlisted the help of artist Kris Polizzi, who provided a hand-woven strap.  Exhibiting an appropriately natural color scheme, the cotton strap is woven with an eye-catching geometric pattern that tastefully complements the hunting pouch.

The horn for this set was donated by Jerry Eitnier, a consistent contributor to CLF fundraising efforts.  “This is what I would call a southern mountain style horn,” he says, “it is not a horn shop type of horn but a horn that would have been made by the owner with what he had on hand.”  Typical of Eitnier’s work, the horn exemplifies rugged dependability.  “This horn has an acid stain and is lightly aged for a soft warm look,” explains the artist, and “the spots on the horn may be of native American influence.”  Fitted with a hickory spout plug and pine base plug sealed with beeswax, this horn is ready for service.

For the artisans involved in this project, the CLA has been vital to their development as artists.  “In the last 21 years,” says Eitnier, “the CLA has brought the art of the American longrifle into the mainstream of the art world.”  It’s an organization that advances professionalism and camaraderie.  “The CLA,” says Umbel, “defines not only friendship, but craftsmanship from artists that inspire you to look deeper into the work you do.  I can’t say enough about the CLA.” 

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

Dwight Umbel (nazarene@windstream.net)

Kris Polizzi (polizzifam@netzero.net)

Jerry Eitnier (ike47949@yahoo.com)

Text by J Shepherd

Photo 1 by Ric Lambert

Photos 2 through 6 by Heinz Ahlers