Large, Painted Eagle with Rattle Snake, Black Powder Horn

$195.00
This interesting black powder horn was purchased from the estate of Joseph Musso.
The construction of this horn suggests to me that it is a contemporary piece. It has steel eye screws for attaching a carry strap, a flattened piece of horn as an end cap and the inside of the spout has been tapped to accommodate a screw in spout. The horn itself is in good condition with no evidence of insect damage or cracking to the body. There is some minor cracking and chips to the end cap area of the horn which may have happened as a result of pressing the flattened horn end cap in place. The beautiful eagle and snake motif has the appearance of being scrimshawed, but close examination reveals it is painted. The style is period correct early American. What is intriguing is that the small remaining piece of what was a carry strap is a very old and fragile cord made of twisted fiber. The auction house I purchased this from had little information on this piece. Joseph Musso was a respected collector suggesting there is a story in this horn, however that story is now lost to time. The horn is nicely made and the artwork a classic example of early American folk art, it would make a nice addition to any collection.

The horn is approx. 11 inches long, not accounting for curvature. The end cap is oval in shape measuring approx. 3 1/4 inches across its widest area. Internal diameter of the spout is approx. 5/8 inch. Please carefully review photos for full perspective.

As always, thank you for stopping by the shop. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.
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This interesting black powder horn was purchased from the estate of Joseph Musso.
The construction of this horn suggests to me that it is a contemporary piece. It has steel eye screws for attaching a carry strap, a flattened piece of horn as an end cap and the inside of the spout has been tapped to accommodate a screw in spout. The horn itself is in good condition with no evidence of insect damage or cracking to the body. There is some minor cracking and chips to the end cap area of the horn which may have happened as a result of pressing the flattened horn end cap in place. The beautiful eagle and snake motif has the appearance of being scrimshawed, but close examination reveals it is painted. The style is period correct early American. What is intriguing is that the small remaining piece of what was a carry strap is a very old and fragile cord made of twisted fiber. The auction house I purchased this from had little information on this piece. Joseph Musso was a respected collector suggesting there is a story in this horn, however that story is now lost to time. The horn is nicely made and the artwork a classic example of early American folk art, it would make a nice addition to any collection.

The horn is approx. 11 inches long, not accounting for curvature. The end cap is oval in shape measuring approx. 3 1/4 inches across its widest area. Internal diameter of the spout is approx. 5/8 inch. Please carefully review photos for full perspective.

As always, thank you for stopping by the shop. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.
This interesting black powder horn was purchased from the estate of Joseph Musso.
The construction of this horn suggests to me that it is a contemporary piece. It has steel eye screws for attaching a carry strap, a flattened piece of horn as an end cap and the inside of the spout has been tapped to accommodate a screw in spout. The horn itself is in good condition with no evidence of insect damage or cracking to the body. There is some minor cracking and chips to the end cap area of the horn which may have happened as a result of pressing the flattened horn end cap in place. The beautiful eagle and snake motif has the appearance of being scrimshawed, but close examination reveals it is painted. The style is period correct early American. What is intriguing is that the small remaining piece of what was a carry strap is a very old and fragile cord made of twisted fiber. The auction house I purchased this from had little information on this piece. Joseph Musso was a respected collector suggesting there is a story in this horn, however that story is now lost to time. The horn is nicely made and the artwork a classic example of early American folk art, it would make a nice addition to any collection.

The horn is approx. 11 inches long, not accounting for curvature. The end cap is oval in shape measuring approx. 3 1/4 inches across its widest area. Internal diameter of the spout is approx. 5/8 inch. Please carefully review photos for full perspective.

As always, thank you for stopping by the shop. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.