POWDER HORN

[gingertomantiques]

Hi all
i need some help from the military specialists.
i have a powder horn that i bought at auction & i have for sale on ebay but would like to add info about the scrimshaw work & the regiment.
It is British looks 18thC
thanks

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170607004680&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_988wt_883

Apologies for ebay link but tried to upload photos without success

[gingertomantiques]

think ive sorted the pics

[cogar]

Neato, a self measuring powder horn. Never seen one before now.

[waywardangler]

This looks more like a horn for holding lead shot to me, especially with that brass measurer attached.  I have seen that brass measuring attachment usually on leather shot bags.  Very nice looking horn. What unscrews so you can fill it?

[gingertomantiques]

the barrel measure unscrews leaving the ring which is riveted to the horn. i think it is for powder as the front divider appears to be missing ( see hole on arm above front slot ) & the base is copper which was used with powder as it will not spark causing ignition. also lf lead shot then would be a hunting horn so would expect a none military scrimshaw design.

[waywardangler]

The brass valve on your horn is typically used for shot and not powder.  The powder would leak out from the cutoff slots.  See http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartList.aspx?catID=1&subID=17&styleID=77 for new reproduction English style chargers.  Scrimshaw on a horn can depict anything the owner favored and was not restricted to what the horn's purpose was.

You have a nice horn, gingertomantiques.  Most shot holders are leather bags or pouches.

The pic below is a new English style shot charger valve.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Wow. My hubby is drooling.

[gingertomantiques]

thanks wayward - any body know the regiment

[mariok54]

If it were a Regimental Crest, should it not have a motto?

[waywardangler]

Mario, not necessarily.  I did some looking around earlier today and saw some similar designs but could not find one with three cannons.  I think the crown is Queen Victoria which puts it before 1901.  I also was focusing mainly on horse artillery batteries which I think it comes from.  the one site that I thought would be good, I had a lot of problems with and all pics were red 'X' out. The site was diggerhistory. I cannot find a British site that has images of all the crest types.  I have had much better luck researching US military emblems.

The other thing I found odd was all three cannons face right.  In almost all images with cannons from British units, the cannons face left (gunners badges face right) or are 2 crossed cannon barrels. I have no idea what that significance is.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I tried searching for guns, cannons, carronades, cannonades and had no luck finding an insignia like this.

[waywardangler]

I found a Royal Australian Army Corps crest with 3 cannons but it also has 3 cannon balls.  http://www.raaoc.asn.au/?q=node/43

[waywardangler]

Hmmm, the scrimshaw on the horn has 4 cannon balls around the circumference of the circle. Wrong crown but cannons are the right type so this horn could date to 1823.

[waywardangler]

Getting closer...Royal Army Ordnance crest maybe...

[gingertomantiques]

thanks everyone, had a thought
if its for shot & therefor possibly hunting & not military, could it be an heraldic coat coat of arms