Some of the Winners at Dixon's 2009

 

L-R standing: Scott Morrison, Tom Ames, Calvin Tanner, Bob Copner L-R kneeling: Mike Karkalla, Bill Legdon, Jeff Bibb

Scott Morrison

Calvin Tanner

 

"Best of Show " for the VA. Hunting Pouch

 

Judges Choice for Painted Haversack. 

Mike Taylor did the painting of the Snake.

 

Bob Copner with Madison Grant Award

 

Gun by Mike Karkalla

 

Bill Legdon

 

Jeff Bibb

Photos by John Kiselica.

Northern Plains Knife Sheath by Norbert Kohlruss

A 1870s style Northern Plains knife sheath / dag sheath....11 3/4" long, 4" widehand scraped rawhide, elk sinew sewn, elk sinew quilled and beaded on braintanned buckskin.... dyed porcupine quills and beautiful, irregular seed beads.... very tight quill- and beadwork, great overall patina.... handmade and antiqued tin cones with dyed horse hair.

Northamton style PA Longrifle by Jim Filipski

My interpretation of a Northamton style PA Longrifle based on RCA 55 & Kindig's TOTKR Unknown 54:
My custom designed barrel produced by Getz 44" .50 cal. built 1997

Copy and photos supplied by Jim Filipski.

James Blake and Christian Hayes Pipe with Fan Set

The Catlinite pipe was made by my father in-law Christian Hays, I completed the stem and the 6 feather fan set. The stem and pipe measure 33" total.

Copy and photo by James Blake.

Aging Contemporary Guns

I once asked Houston Harrison a fine Tennessee Gunsmith his opinion on aging new long rifles. He said: "I don't do that, those guns never looked like that when they were new, if they did, no one would have bought them"

"Eric Kettenburg Allentown Arsenal rifle detail"

Jack Brooks

A very good point. Clearly the truth. The 18th century generation certainly had it's attraction to its past, but not in the way ours may. One could argue there may have been groups (probably actors) who got together and attempted to recreate knights in shining armor or biblical scenes. Not much rust on armor so this lets out the lust for patina here, ha ha, but ahhh to look very old like Moses or St. Peter, now this might have had appeal. Our groups of reenactors attempt to create the past as though it were here and now so there is not much point in having accouterments which look 200 years old. So What's the point? What has this got to do with aging long rifles to look like antiques? Nothing. That is the point. Adding Age to new guns is something entirely separate from making them. It is art all by itself and because it is a pure and imaginative activity may be the reason most gunsmiths do not find it interesting or challenging. It's like writing fiction. It implies a past where there is none before. It requires a special talent and a willingness to add a whole new layer of imagination and experimentation to an already successful conclusion. It involves taking chances, removing definition and changing (some would say destroying) layers of work. The only thing artificial aging has in common with building a gun is it is both an additive and subtractive process. It is an activity which uses none of the ordered steps involved in the making of a rifle. There is really nothing to hold on to... except perhaps curiosity, no real reference points. There is also the worry that ones work may be accepted by some as actual antiques! For shooters this aged look may have little appeal, for collectors it seems to have great appeal. Imagine an antique gun show where every piece was in brand new condition.

Copy and photo by Robert Weil.

"Catfish" Tom by Richard Guthrie

This drawing was part of Barry Maxfield's exhibit at the 2008 CLA Show.

Split Horn Ermine Bonnet by Bill and Kathy Brewer

Historically accurate replica of a split horn ermine bonnet worn by Indian warriors of the Great Plains during the Indian Wars era (c.1870s) made by Bill and Kathy Brewer. From the tip of each horn, a buckskin thong pigmented red and wrapped with dyed porcupine quillwork attaches to the center of the cap.

Split, beveled and polished buffalo horns painted red on the reverse, decorated with red dyed horse hair, green dyed hackle feathers, ermine fringe, single hawkbell and wrapped seed beadwork over buckskin at tips, are attached to brain tanned buckskin cap with buffalo rawhide reinforcements, both at base of horn and inside of cap. Dyed silk ribbons and more green dyed hackle feathers at base of each horn.

Brow band is beaded with old time color seed beads and has a row of brass hawk bells above the beadwork. At each side of the brow band hang two whole ermine skins, eight shorter ermine tubes, and four dyed silk ribbon pendants.

The cap is covered with ermine fringes.

From the tip of each horn, a buckskin thong pigmented red and wrapped with dyed porcupine quillwork attaches to the center of the cap.

There are 22 ermine tubes hanging from the back over a red wool white selvedge edge trade cloth trailer.

Eight natural peacock wing feathers, decorated with buckskin thong wrapped red wool firecrackers and green dyed hackle feathers, hang below the ermine tubes on the trailer.

T.C. Albert Powder Gourd

Keeping your powder dry is essential especially if your life or lively hood depends upon it. In America’s southern mountains, the “Lands of Powder Gourds and Face Jugs”, not only did the Scotch-Irish preserve the Kings “Old English”, but they preserved the old stories and legends as well. That’s where the inspiration for this decorated powder gourd came from.

In their “Granny Tales”, these frontiersman and mountaineers would have been raised on the story of “Oliver Cromwell and Keep Your Powder Dry”, not only because it’s a good idea, but because it puts the rest of the saying, “Trust in God men”, in perspective too.

The legend goes that Cromwell was marching his army across the country in his successful campaign to destroy the power of the “Royalist” monarchy when they came upon a river. As they commenced crossing, Cromwell was heard to say” Put your trust in God men, but mind you keep your powder dry!” I don’t know if they trusted God, but they did keep their powder dry and eventually unseated and executed the king and installed Cromwell, not God, as the “Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland” in 1653.

I can imagine the words from that river crossing were told and retold a bit tongue in cheek, especially since at the end of the story, Cromwell dies, the Royalists again assume power, and the King orders that Cromwell’s dead body be exhumed, hung in chains and beheaded!

Here in the southern mountains, gun powder was often stored and kept dry in a simple, plain gourd, but this one has been decorated in a poor mans attempt to copy a traditional face jug, yet another southern tradition. It was the same Scots/Irish that brought the art of distilling “uisgebetha” or what we came to call whiskey. Traditionally it is said that grotesque face jugs were originally made to hold the liquor and scare the timid and children away from drinking it.

This folk art powder gourd, named “Powder Face”, tries to combine these traditions as it recalls both the need to “keep yer’ powder dry” and recalls the likely origins of the saying.

Copy and photos by T.C. Albert.

Jim Meili Horn

About ten years ago I made this horn as a blanket prize for a chunk gun shoot. My friend Harley sponsors this annual shoot and turns all the proceeds over to the York family to help maintain Alvin York's home in Pall Mall, Tennessee. This is the simplest of horns with a tulip tip, no markings, a painted yellow pine plug attached with thorn pegs and a stapled crack. It remained on the blanket until the very end and lay there all by its lonesome. When Harley finally called his own name to take something he grabbed the horn and declared, "What a butt ugly horn this is!, I was hoping nobody would take it." Ever since it has traveled from chunk match to chunk match and still gets reverently called by the same name.

Copy and photos by Jim Meili.

Dave Beaman's Gear

Bullet board, antler-handled short starter with button hole scabbard, and antiqued double jack chain by Bob Wiegand. Final on the adjustable powder measure by Brad Emig. Goatskin bullet bag by Tim Ridge. Braintan flint poke by Cory Joe Stewart. Goatskin patch dispenser by Curt Lyles.

Copy and photo supplied by Dave Beaman.

Mike Buss Pipes and Pen Knife

Photo suppled by Mike Buss.