A throw-away horn saved by Scott Morrison

The horn used here started out as a throw away horn. Mine being a production shop, I really did not have time to devote to horns that needed too much work. This was a long, skinny horn that was hollow almost all the way out to the tip. When I cut the horn tip off, the resulting hole in the tip was bigger than what I would have drilled in the end.

Left side view of the sow’s ear horn, by Scott Morrison.

So, at the annual West Coast Horn Faire that year, I was teaching a beginning horn making class and I brought out this horn as an example of a horn that I would not use. I might even have tossed the horn into the waste basket to illustrate how worthless I thought the horn was. One of the fellows in the class came up and claimed it, saying he could make something out of it.

At the next West Coast Horn Faire held in Washington, this horner was working on the horn all through the afternoon. Saturday night after dinner, the auction was held and lo and behold, here was the horn, up for grabs. Well now, I decided that I was going to own that horn and so I did. I don’t recall how much I paid for it, but it wasn’t cheap.

A few years later, I was looking at eBay and I saw some carry straps for I think it was $10 each. There were three of them, so I bought them. This horn got the red and black stripe, you will get to see the others in upcoming weeks. I kind of got carried away bidding at the auction that night.

So, all this goes to prove that you can make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

By John Shorb (Bigsmoke)

Right side view of the horn, a Southern banded, applied tip horn.

Close up view of the two center bands.

View of the base plug with integral finial.

A nice, closeup of the finely crafted antler applied tip.

Ken Falletti, Hornmaker, and so much more. 1948 – 2020

Kenneth E. Falletti Jr. 72 passed away peacefully at home in Carmichael California on 3-30-2020. He had a long illness due to the many side effects of kidney failure and diabetes. Ken lived most of his childhood in Anderson CA. He and his wife Yvonne (Chester) had known each other since second grade when her family moved into the neighborhood. He married in 1967 moved to Sacramento Ken worked at Pacific Bell and retired from there as Branch Telemarketing manager with the Yellow Pages.
While working there he received many awards for his leadership and accomplishments including public service as a volunteer at Sutter’s Fort. His leadership skills were put to use there when he was the manager of several living history programs and along with his wife, founded the original Trader’s Fair event held once a year for many years. Besides having more time to volunteer at Sutter’s Fort once Ken retired, he wrote a book for documentation of clothing and life skills of the American Mountain Man.
He was known as “Dirty Hand” (baby diaper failure) more than his given name during those years.

Ken also became well known as an artisan after teaching himself to build and adorn powder horns with the old handcraft and art of Scrimshaw. His workmanship was featured in many magazines and newspaper articles. He continued to tackle new interests and hobbies always focusing on Powder horns and early American scrimshaw designs. His work was commissioned by HBO for scrimshaw powder horns to be used in a production for a series later shelved. He was an amazing man gifted of many talents – “Dirty Hand” gone to rendezvous. He is survived by his wife Yvonne, and children. Preceded by loving Grandparents Frank and Ruth Veltri, his parents, and brother Ronald Laven. In he was loved dearly, in death he is loved still. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Kidney Foundation and the American Diabetes Association. A tribute to Ken will likely be held at a later date at Rendezvous. Obituary posted on legacy.com. Photos from Ken Falletti’s Facebook page.

Rick Froehlich, Powder Horns and More, Builder of the Month

The business, PowderHorns and More, is adding a new feature to their website.  Gerry Messmer is starting off the year with a long time friend and customer, Rick Froehlich.

1976 was a life changing year for many of us who are still in the powder horn making business. Everywhere we turned, people were talking about the 200th birthday of the United States of America.  Muzzleloading shoots and rendezvous were being held all over the West.  Living History and any thing to do with the Revolutionary War received a big boost on the East Coast.

Rick Froehlich, now of Omaha, Nebraska, started making powder horns during this wonderful time. Walt Disney and Fess Parker in the old 50’s TV show, Davey Crockett, first sparked his interest in shooting muzzleloaders.  In the early 70’s, he bought his first real muzzleloading rifle and started to make all of the things needed from shooting to shelter.

Around 1975, he made his first powder horn, and as they say, the rest is history.

Traditional and Contemporary Horns by Rick Froehlich 

Discription of the these three horns. Top: From art called “Duck hunters”.  With man, son and dog in marsh.  (M) Settler man being attack by bear and this three dogs attacking bear.  (B) Winged Death Skull,  18th century tombstone and accutrement  symbol design.

Today, Rick is a custom powder horn maker who has horns in just about every state and a few other countries.

He enjoys making the engraved horns of the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War style by Rick

Interesting horns with copper at the base.

Settler man being attack by bear and this three dogs attacking bear.

Eagles are always a popular motif. Look at the scroll work

Hudsons Bay Traders with Indian

 

Rick loves to make flat horns.

Horn Mug (commissioned) by Rick Froehlich

Seneca Chief Corn Planter  (18th century)

Learning from other craftsmen in the trade is a big part of his journey.  The best part about our friend, Rick is that he loves to help new craftsmen get started in this fun and interesting hobby of powder horn making.

 

The horn making craft has come a long way in the last 40 years.  Today we are lucky to have a vast array of supplies and materials available. Also research resources to study so we can accurately learn and practice the craft.

The best way to contact rick is; rfroehlich1948@cox.net

Edited by Linda Shorb

2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for my blog. The part that surprised me is that the visitors to my blog came from 71 different countries! The US, Germany and Canada were represented of course. The people in Europe, UK, Scandinavia, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina are also interested in powder horns..

As always I plan to post more on the blog. I have many friends complete with pictures that have a story about powder horns that should be told. I need tho motivation and the desire to post their stories.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

French and Indian Style Horn by Carl Dumke,

Carl Dumke just finished a large F&I horn that he was commission to produce. Carl is doing business under the name of Grinning Fox Studios.   Many of Carl’s horns are on his Facebook page.

This horn has the name of the owner in the style of John Bush with some chip carving between the lines of text.

French and Indian Horn by Carl Dumke

This is what Carl wrote: The owner is from Maryland, so I included the original name of the state as Queen Mary’s Land. I also included a few florals to represent the stylized state flower (Black-Eyed Susan).

Queen’s Land

The spout is carved to represent a tulip flower and flares to a finely-detailed engrailed shoulder.

The spout is carved to represent a tulip flower.

On the reverse is a map of the Allegheny Valley with various forts depicted on the map of Braddock’s Road I found in an old book.

The forts

The plug is made from a piece of tiger maple–you can just see the stripes and it has a turned antler finial. The plug is attached to the body with 5 square steel pins I forged in the shop.

Base Plug of tiger maple and turned antler

The whole horn is just over 19″ long and has been slightly aged. This black, red, and white woven horn strap from my friend Kris Polizzi to finish off the whole look of the horn to give it an authentic 1750s feel.

Finished Horn with strap.

Presentation Military Power Horn from an Original by Rick Froehlech

Rick Froehlich was commissioned to make a similar powder horn from this museum photo.

Presentation Military Horn Photo from a museum

 

Horn by Rick Froehlich based on the original photos

This is what he produced.  Every cow horn is different, so it was difficult to find the right one.  Rick did a fantastic job on this Military style horn.

Kevin Hart of Oregon, Featured Artist

Kevin Hart writes:
As a young boy, I remember two things that interested me most. One was movies or television that had something to do with flintlock rifles and the frontier. The other was listening to my parent’s records. Two of my favorite movies to this day were ones that I saw when very young.
They are “Across the Wide Missouri” staring Clark Gable and “The Big Sky” with a young Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin & Arthur Hunnicutt as the wise old free trapper. At that time Arthur Hunnicutt was my favorite actor and still is to this day. Of course, spending time in front of the television with my brothers watching “Davy Crockett” and “Daniel Boone” also played a major influence on me later in life as well. Westerns were always a favorite, but the movies that dealt with trappers, Native Americans, flintlocks rifles and black powder were what I always wanted to watch.

Detail on the Hart Ledger Horn

I grew up smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles which is not very ideal for a young man wanting to explore the outdoors and experience what’s beyond the next mountain range. Following high school, I attended Los Angeles City College for two years, then moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and finished college with a Communications Degree. My chosen field at the time was Radio and over that time period worked as an announcer for 3 different stations. It just so happened that I walked into a small gun store and was surprised to see that all they sold were black powder rifles and related accoutrements of the fur trade. This greenhorn couldn’t get enough stories and spent many hours sitting around the pot belly stove in that store listening to the many windies those boys could tell. Well, my passion was reborn. I bought my first black powder rifle then and haven’t looked back since. I eventually moved back to the Los Angeles area and went back to school two separate times and got in on the ground floor of the Telecommunications boom in the 1980s.

Cup that goes with the Tansel Horn

I met my wife Debbie during this time period and after a few years living in Santa Monica, CA we were able to purchase a nice mountain home located about an hour north of Valencia, CA. Two great kids came along but unfortunately the two hour drive down from paradise to work each day and back was difficult so after 6 years on the mountain, we moved back down in amongst them again. I had always had the dream of living in Oregon, and was finally able to transfer north in the mid 1990s and in 2003 I retired.

While living in New Mexico I attended local rendezvous and the same was true in California. One of my favorite rendezvous was 1982’s NMLRA/NAPR rendezvous held in the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Daily work and family commitments for many years superseded time at rendezvous so we were limited to smaller weekend events. Since the 2000’s I have had the great pleasure of attending with my brother Allen, many PPR (Pacific Primitive Rendezvous) events in Washington, Utah, Idaho, California and of course my home state of Oregon.

In addition to the fur trade, one of my other passions is antique furniture from the Arts & Crafts period. In my late teens, I restored my first of many tiger oak pieces and eventually I began crafting and selling Arts & Craft recreations such as clocks, framed tiles and small furniture pieces. It seemed that I was always in need of some added accouterments for my persona, which led me to start making cases for black powder firearms, powder horns and other items.

Pistol Box and accessories by Keven Hart

The many great books and videos available today really helped me believe I could make the items I needed instead of purchasing them which helped improve my art greatly. My thanks go out to all the many artists who through personal instruction, books and videos shared their knowledge with me and others so that our American Tradition can continue.

You can reach him at

Keven Hart

harts.athome@frontier.com

WCHF 2014 Prizes and winners

The West Coast Horn Fair did not ask for prizes from the Horn Making Community this year, but the prizes came pouring in.  There was the auction and the raffle.  I am sorry I do not have pictures of all the prizes.  If you made or won a prize, please send me a picture and I will update this post.

We are grateful for the many fantastic raffle and auction prizes. Two different horn and bag combinations were donated by Scott Morrison and Ron Hess.

Bag, Horn, Measure, Pick and Pan Brush by Scott Morrison won by Shawn Martin

Ron Hess Horn and Ed McDilda bag, donated by Ron Hess won by Bo Brown

More items were sent in to support The West Coast Horn Fair.

These items were donated by the participants.

Containers by Steve Skillman won by Chip Kormas

Cup and screw top container by Ed McDilda. Donated by Chip Kormas  won by Tim Sampson

Horn Handled Knife by Glenn Sutt Won by Jim Smith

Franklin County Screw tip Flat Horn by Glenn Sutt. High bidder was Scott Morrison

Hand knitted horn socks by Pam Skillman

Auction items that are waiting for pictures.

Camp chair by Will Ulery Won by Glenn Sutt

A framed and matted Print by Bill Conant. Won by Chris Statz

Buffalo Horn by Harold Moore. Won by BO Brown.

HERE IS THE LIST OF DONATIONS AND WINNERS for the raffle

Book Powder Horns Fabrication and Decoration. Donated by Don Kerr. Won by Harold Moore
Hand forged knife and sheath donated by BO Brown Won by Kyle Martin.
We had two Knife kits donated by Roger Hodge with Green River blades. Won by Nancy Moore and Rich Downs.
Scrimshawed Salt and Pepper container of antler by Kieth Beard Won by BO Brown.
Horn Spoon (show project) by Glenn Sutt Won by Steve Baima.
Necklace pincushion by Kieth Beard, donated by BO Brown Won by Dave Rase.
Antler Flask by Scott Morrison Won by Lloyd Chase.
Buffalo priming horn by Harold Moore Won by Kevin Thiel.
Salt horn by Skillman Won by Dave Rase.
Small table horn by Skillman Won by Don Kerr.
Framed photo by Nancy Moore Won by Shawn Martin.
Deluxe Cureton Horn by John Shorb Won by Kevin Hart.

The Hartley Book donated by The Honourable Company of Horners was won by Roger Hodge

 

Powder Horn by John Shorb Raffle item won by Keven Hart

 

Horn straps by Lynn Blevens, Weaving Welshman (won by Bill Conant); Kris Polizzi Custom Weaving (won by Glenn Sutt) ; Strap by Bo Brown (won by Scott Morrison)

Hand knitted horn socks by Pam Skillman Won by Glenn Sutt, ,Kyle Martin, and Chip Kormas.

The participants were having way to much fun and made this sign to give John Shorb  a very bad time.

 

Honest John’s Used Horns
CHEAP
One owner OK Used Horns.

Cow Horns lined up in a row! Don’t they look pretty.

We want to thank Steve Skillman, Scott Morrison, Glen Sutt, Chip Kormas, Steve Bama, Bo Brown, Don Kerr, Shawn Martin and Kyle Martin. Jim and Laura Smith cooked all weekend. They brought their killer brownies. Rodger Hodge made badges for participants. Many others worked hard to put this event together.

Next year will be held the First weekend in May at the Capitol City Gun Club in Little Rock WA. We have more ideas, more teachers and more events to present to all the horn makers.

 

 

 

West Coast Horn Fair 2014 A Success!

This year’s West Coast Horn Fair was held April 11th, 12th, and 13th 2014 at the Capitol City Rifle and Pistol Club just South of Olympia. The focus was on Heating and Shaping horns. Friday and Sunday were classes and perusing the many display tables. The highlights were discussions on style, schools, periods and horns and architecture.  Many of the participants were discussed what they want for future events.  Everyone is coming back!  John, Linda, Steve and Jim do not want to miss next years West Coast Horn Fair!  (Photos by Steve Skillman except where noted.)

Glen Sutt’s table

Scott Morrison’s Table

Jerry Frank’s table (Crawdad)

Powder Horns and More’s Table

Bo Brown’s Table

Last year a table was set up for Harold Moore as the Honored Horner of the year. He was Steve Skillman’s  partner when they first started giving horn making classes with the Gunmakers Guild many years ago. Not long after the W.C.H.F. last year, Harold suffered a stroke.  A noted artist in our area, Bill Connant, agreed to do a portrait of Harold for presentation at this years event on Saturday night. The West Coast Horn Fair 2014 honored Harold Moore, a influential Horn Maker from the West Coast.

Harold and Patty Moore with Bill Conant. Photo by Mike Nesbitt

Portrait of Harold Moore.  Photo by Mike Nesbitt

 

There were demonstrations on making flat horns, spoons, and horn sheets.

One of many Flat horns in a vise

Don Nissen is holding the flat horn as they prepare to insert the base plug.

Glen Sutt working on a flat horn as Rodger Hodge, Crawdad, Scott Morrison, Lloyd and Chip Kormas look on.

Many flat horns were made as well as spoons and flat pieces for combs and other items.

Horn spoon

Horn sheets

Here are some of the tools used in the shaping of horn.

Glenn Sutt working with one of the many heating pots.

Wooden Forms for flat horns

Horn Spoon Mold

A chinning tool is used to inscribe a line at the bottom of the cup.

This chinning tool was made at the fair.

 

We want to thank Steve Skillman, Scott Morrison, Glen Sutt, Chip Kormas, Steve Bama, Bo Brown, Don Kerr, Shawn Martin and Kyle Martin. Jim and Laura Smith cooked all weekend. They brought their killer brownies. Rodger Hodge made badges for participants. Many others worked hard to put this event together.

Next year will be held the First weekend in May at the Capitol City Gun Club in Little Rock WA. We have more ideas, more teachers and more events to present to all the horn makers.

 

WEST COAST HORN FAIR 2014

This year’s event will again be at the Capitol City Rifle and Pistol Club just South of Olympia.
April 11th, 12th, and 13th 2014
Friday’s discussions will be about styles of horns from different areas and periods.

Lathe work station

Saturday will be all about heating and shaping horn.  How to flatten horns ,

How to make flat horn sheets to use for combs, cup bottoms, and other objects. We have fork and spoon molds available.

Different ways to heat horn and their strong and weak points.

Forming the butt to the plug, fitting a bottom to a cup or container, and so much more.

Saturday Night Banquet and Awards ceremony. There will be a raffle and an auction.

Six Meals will be provided and camping is available on site.

Camping is available

The three day event is 55.00 including meals or 30.00 for Saturday only, also with meals.

Feel free to contact Steve at his E-mail  sbskillman@yahoo.com for info or to register.

Link for Info and directions to C.C.R.P.

Here are some pictures from  last years Horn Fair.  It only touches on some of the many events of the weekend.

Glenn Sutt on lathe

Demonstrations on different machines

Classrooms

Classrooms

Display Tables

Horns on display

Horn Items for sale and on display

More Displays

Saturday Night Awards

Many of the participants outside the building