RARE COLONIAL PERIOD AMERICAN ENGRAVED POWDER HORN

This is a extremely rare engraved Colonial American period powder horn.  There are less than a half dozen American powder horns which date to the first quarter of the 18th century and this is the only one known that has a cameo carved throat with a golden yellow fully engraved body.  All other known American powder horns from the first quarter of the 18th century are "green" horns where the scrimshaw is difficult to see. This horn measures approximately 13 inches across the curve and 15 1/2 inch around the outside curve.

This horn has "I H" and the date "1725" engraved on the body around the throat and like most of the early 18th century horns features an engraving of a crowned king and many zoomorphic figures which include:  a stylized royal lion,two buck deer chasing a doe, a catamount (American eastern mountain lion i.e. puma), a bear, a grasshopper, a pair of geese, a bird in a cage, and finally, a demon-like figure on a ladder and scaffold hanging a fox.

Condition:  Excellent considering its age and use. The only flaw observed is the suspension tab at the butt has a broken and missing pieces on either side of where the holes were drilled (see pics).

References:

"Powder Horns Documents of History" by Tom Grinslade. Pgs.6-9.                                                                                           "The Engraved Powder Horn" by Jim Dresslar and Dave Wesbrook Pgs. 2-17.