16 replies to this topic

[kanemono]

Benjamin Woollard was a member of Captain Robert Patterson’s Company, Second Regiment of Foot of the Pennsylvania Militia located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  The Militia was under the overall command of Lieutenant Colonel John Keller and was in active service in the summer and fall of 1781. Private Woollard is listed in the in the Pennsylvania, Revolutionary War Battalions and Militia Index, 1775-1783 located in the Pennsylvania State Archives. The powder horn is 11 ½” long and measures 3” at its widest point. The horn is named “Benjamin Woollard’s Powder Horn 1799”and depicts “Liberty Tower,” “The Fiery Dragon of Egypt,” “St George,” and   “Wild Man of Oramutang,” an American eagle with “Pluribus Unum,” and what seems to be the New Jersey State, Coat of Arms.  Also depicted is a horseman, dogs, rabbits, foxes, birds a bear and a devil. This powder horn is mentioned in American Engraved Powder Horns: A Study Based on the J. H. Grenville Gilbert Collection by Stephen V. Grancsay, Curator of Arms and Armor, published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1945. The horn was in the collection of John G. Laidacker of Mocanaqua, Pennsylvania. Laidacker had a collection of over fifteen hundred Kentucky rifles which was considered to be the “largest and most representative in the world.”(Magazine of Antique Firearms, July 5, 1911). Click picture for larger image.

Dick

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Edited by kanemono, 28 September 2015 - 10:26 AM.

[kanemono]

next...

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[tarbridge]

Speechless. ..Speechless. ..

[scottiques]

Amazing!

 

Beautiful workmanship and incredible condition.

 

Did you have the stand made?  It really adds to the display impact.

 

Scott

Edited by scottiques, 28 September 2015 - 11:19 AM.

[kanemono]

Thanks Robert, Scott, the stand was made by John S. Laidacker the grandson of John G. Laidacker. John S. was also a major collector and dealer of antiques and firearms. He also wrote several books on firearms.

Dick

[BagmanL6]

Wow.  Truly a work of art.  I apologize for showing my ignorance on this topic but is this something he would have carried with him in battle or on the hunt later in life?  Or was it more of a "decorative or show" piece.  Thanks.

[kanemono]

My guess is that the powder horn would have been used for hunting.

Dick

[BagmanL6]

That's even more amazing.  The time and skill to do all that to an item in daily use.  Thanks.

[dunmore1774]

Beautiful piece

[scottiques]

Just saw the dating of 1799, so it was done post Rev- war?

 

Even so, I would suspect it saw regular use for hunting and wasn't just a decorative piece.

 

Scott

Edited by scottiques, 28 September 2015 - 06:14 PM.

[doyler]

Amazing piece of history,folk art and craftmanship.People will go a life time with out seeing an item of suck quality and importance.

Thanks for posting.

[hawk3370]

Absolutely magnificent. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I doubt any of us will ever see anything like this again. Your method of displaying it does it honor.

[sundance]

That is one amazing horn.That stand is a work of art also (I probably couldn't afford the stand, much less the horn).

[Leatherneck72]

This horn is in your possession?

[Brig]

Beautiful work on the horn

 

I wonder if those rifles are wall mounted in the photo, or if he is sitting/laying on the floor

[1SG_1st_Cav]

Gorgeous powder horn.

[2Dogs]

Sorry to be late to the party. That is one beautiful horn. I am a hornsmith. As a hobby, I make the powder horns, Mugs, cups, candle boxes. The old ones are truley works of art. The "Line Engraving" is very nice. Powder horns were a very personal item, most were ingraved by the owner, and sometimes used to ID the body after a battle.