power horn
looking for some information about a civil war power horn. this lady has a power horn with pow engraved 1864 red river,la eagle, mermaid 16" on it in mint cont.anyone know what this might be worth or any history on it please let me know so i can let her know what she has thank you tony
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1864 is awful late for a military powder horn. Just the date alone would have me scratching my head. Powder horns probably were last used in the 1830's, no later then the Mexican War,( 1847 ). 
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Actually, I have a plain powder horn that is documented as to being carried in the Civil War. Hope I can find that little handwritten piece of paper if I should decide to sell the horn. Emery
"Well done is better than well said"
Ben Franklin0 -
Powder horns were phased out by most modern armies before the War Between the States. However they were still being used here in east Tennessee and southwest Virginia up to World War II. The hill people here(my family included) saw no reason to use expensive cartridge guns and their expensive ammo to hunt squirrel and rabbits and other small game. Heck, they were still using single barrel shotguns and black powder loads for them when I was a very young boy. Many of them never bothered to convert their blackpowder muzzle loaders to percussion cap for the same reason. Flint was handy and easy to shape, saving the expense of buying it. They were still making and repairing their own shoes too. Aw well, the good ol days. I still have a couple of black powder rifle horns(1 small and 1 large) that is handmade and still going strong and I can't even begin to tell you how old they are because no one old enough to really know is still alive. 0 -
Pinhead-
My ancestors in Ohio and West Virginia carried both big powder horns and small ones,- I've seen pictures of them.
They carried powder for the main charge in the big one and very fine powder in the small one for the priming charge.0 -
One factor not mentioned yet is the authenticity of the horn. I've seen more than a few horns advertised as authentic originals, that on closer inspection, turned out to be artificially aged. I've also seen some nice old plain horns with newly-added scrimshaw to "enhance" their value. As a member of the Honourable Company of Horners (American horners' guild), I've gotten to see and authenticate old horns...and expose fakes. It's a tricky business involving familiarity with old-time techniques and styles of carving and engraving. Often, horns can be dated with a reasonable degree of certainty based on a few subtle characteristics.
Could "pow" stand for "prisoner of war?" Is there an oral history or any additional evidence to indicate the horn might be what the owner claims? (Oral histories, including family traditions, generally aren't worth the paper they're printed on!)
Without examining the horn, I'd be really reluctant to pay more than the value of a modern-made horn of similar quality (which can run into hundreds of dollars, BTW).0 -
I.Shute, your correct in the usage on the horns--big for charge in barrel and small for the priming. But we also used the small one for the small caliber rifles also. I have a T-C .32 caliber squirrel rifle that is percussion (modern made) and the little horn is perfect for the small charges that I use. surbat6, you are probably right about the faking that goes on in collector items of all kinds. Mine are original and both are very plain. They were made of plain cow horns, no engraving or scrimshaw or carving. The plain wood stopper and base seem to be a dark dyed piece of plain maple. The horns themselves have also been stained at some point of time to darken them. I have no intention of ever selling them so whether they are properly authenicated by an expert in the collecting field does not matter to me. They have been in the family for a long time and they will stay there. I would not think of passing them on to someone who would sell them. I would give them to some one outside the family who would promise to keep them if I thought they were just going to wind up in someones collection based on value. I don't have anything against collectors and they do serve a valuable purpose of preserving history. Preserving history is what is important to me--not money value. Anyway, thanks . Jim 0 -
i just trying to find out some information for this lady i never seen it just what she wrote on a piece of paper i dont think she wants to sell it shy just wanted some history on it 0 -
Sorry, Tony. I mis-read your IP. It sounded to me as if you were thinking of buying the horn. If she's within driving distance of Allentown PA, I'd be happy to examine the horn and give a semi-intelligent appraisal.
Pinhead, if you ever consider giving away those plain horns, I have a small collection of plain horns which could stand an addition or two! Seriously, I'd be happy just to look them over. If anybody's in the Kempton PA area this July 29th, 30th or 31st, you might consider dropping by Dixon Muzzleloading Shop for the Gunmakers Fair. The only charge is a $2.00 parking fee. Stop by my stand (Bob Chattin/The Irony) in the Bag and Horn Tent and show me your powder horns (whether they're family heirlooms, recent acquisitions or home-builds). There are several other horners and collectors in the tent who can offer their expert opinions as well.0
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