Notchy Bob
32 Cal.
I was researching powder horns, and found an interesting article in the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 4, pages 7-11, "Notes on Canadian Powder Horns." The text is very informative, but the illustrations are all black and white, with one photo and several pen-and-ink drawings. Figure 2 in the article shows a horn collected from "a rural French home in Quebec." The article states "...the bottom [of the horn] has been carved in a simple design and still carries an ancient coat of the blue-green paint used on antique French checkerboards and utensils."
I also ran across this, described as a "Maritime Powder Horn," on the River Junction website:
(for more pictures and a description, see Maritime Powder Horn)
I think this is likely a Newfoundland seal-hunter's horn, as it shows some similarities to other horns which were identified as such. Note the painted base. I'm finding that painted horns were not that uncommon.
Do you think the paint on this "Maritime Powderhorn" might be the same "blue-green paint used on antique French checkerboards...," as referenced in the other article? What kind of paint is it? Milk paint? Oil paint? How common is this color on old French Canadian artifacts? Any information on the topic would be appreciated.
Merci beaucoup!
Notchy Bob
I also ran across this, described as a "Maritime Powder Horn," on the River Junction website:
(for more pictures and a description, see Maritime Powder Horn)
I think this is likely a Newfoundland seal-hunter's horn, as it shows some similarities to other horns which were identified as such. Note the painted base. I'm finding that painted horns were not that uncommon.
Do you think the paint on this "Maritime Powderhorn" might be the same "blue-green paint used on antique French checkerboards...," as referenced in the other article? What kind of paint is it? Milk paint? Oil paint? How common is this color on old French Canadian artifacts? Any information on the topic would be appreciated.
Merci beaucoup!
Notchy Bob