Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Horn, Powder |
Catalog Number |
1949.47 |
Date |
ca. 1776 |
Material(s) |
Horn; wood; iron |
Dimensions |
H-2.25 W-4.375 inches |
Description |
This large, curved powder horn has incised decoration over most of the horn body. There are two rectangular patch opening near the spout end; one is missing its cover. There is a zigzag decoration below the recessed spout. The 1 7/8" long spout is recessed and has a 7/8 diameter ring mouth. On the ring edge are incised diagonal lines. The incised decoration on the body begins at the plug end with a 5/16" wide, cross-hatch border along the edge. There are groups of images throughout the rest of the body. This includes 1) a group of men looking over another man who is lying prostrate on the ground (?), below this group is inscribe "Honour" and lines from Richard Barford’s 1728-29 play The Virgin Queen, "How terrible is passion." 2) Along side this grouping is a man standing with a fringed coat, one arm raised and wearing a peaked cap, the man is framed by a cross-hatched design that connects above him and encloses two heads. There is an inscription inside the cross-hatch frame: "[illegible] in the pit." (These first two decorations may be one larger grouping.) 3) On the opposite side of the horn is a scene of a deer hunt with men on horses, dogs and a stag deer running through trees, etc. Below this is a later inked inscription. 4) On one of the shorter sides, between the larger incised groupings on the plug end, is an image of man on a horse with a bugle. 5) On the center of the horn, just right of the deer hunting scene is an incised cross-hatched circle with an image of a boat with a curved bowhead and three people inside the boat. One of them is fishing, the other is holding a parasol or umbrella and the last is rowing (?). 6) To the right of the last drawing is an incised scene of a man with a pack on his back raising a club (?) in the air and moving toward a person sitting on a rock under a tree. The person under the tree is wearing a vest coat and has something in his/her hand and on their lap [a pen and paper?]. A dog is also in the scene running with the first man. 7) To the right are three incised images of a horse, a lion and a fish (?). 8) On one of the short sides between the two squared patch openings are three images of a man with a horn and a large brush (?), a fish and a large goose. The flat, irregular oval, wood butt plug is secured with four iron nails. There is no knob or other hanging device. |
Notes |
This powder horn used by Revolutionary War soldier Enos Hardin. |
Collection |
Mrs. R.L. Armstrong Collection |
People |
Enos Hardin Hardin, Enos |
Subjects |
Deer hunting Revolutionary War American Revolution Horns (Animal) Ammunition Containers Gunpowder |
Search Terms |
powder flask powder horn American Revolution Revolution |
Physical Holder |
Kentucky Historical Society - KHS |