October 30, 2019 The Collection of Steve & Marcy Hench
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2019
This boldly-engraved powder horn is listed as number 869 on page 71 of "American Engraved Powder Horns" by Stephen V. Grancsay. A copy of the drawing of this horn by well known artist Rufus Grider is also included. Grider traveled the country in search of horn to record with his drawings in the late 1800's. Philip Ulmer was born in 1751 and enlisted in the Continental Army as a sergeant in 1776 with Colonel William Bond's 25th Regiment. He served during the Siege of Boston. In March of 1776, his regiment was ordered to New York and then marched to Canada. Upon return from Canada, Bond died and his forces were ordered to Fort George before heading south to to meet Washington's retreating army. The army was reorganized in January of 1777 and John Paterson was made Captain of the First Massachusetts Regiment. Ulmer was then promoted to Lieutenant in Captain Abraham Hunt's Company. Ulmer in the First Massachusetts fought with Washington's forces throughout the Philadelphia Campaign and was with the encampment at Valley Forge that winter. He was discharged in February of 1778 when his enlistment ran out. In July of 1779 he joined Colonel Samuel McCobb's Regiment as a captain where he served until September 24, 1779 on the Penobscott Expedition, in which Paul Revere was Colonel of Artillery. His company was the first to ascend the cliffs in the face of enemy fire and 100 out of the 400 Americans were killed in 20 minutes time. Between March and November, 1780, Ulmer was active in the defense of Eastern Massachusetts at Camden. He later became a full Major. After the war, he settled in his hometown of Waldboro, Maine. He died in 1816. The horn has a curved tapered body of about 16" overall with a carved spout section and period brass charging spout. Domed wooden plug with iron staple. Main body is engraved with repeating leaf designs around butt with name "PHILIP ULMER 1776" inscribed above. The horn depicts labelled "FORT GORGE" showing the walls outlined as well as the buildings inside the fort. It also depicts two other forts and "LAKE CHAMPLANE", "LAKE GORGE", "WHITE HOUSE", "ILE NOAH" and a body of water labelled "A LAKE OR RIVEr". There are several detailed New England houses and buildings. Horn is complete with a three-ring binder of the horn's provenance, the copy of its Grider drawing, places that the horn is listed, and extensive research on Ulmer and his family, including a copy of a Massachusetts Revolutionary War payroll for Philip Ulmer.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining a honey patina with crisp engraving. Some minor losses to relief ring below charger. Charger retains a very dark unpolished patina and is complete and functional. Butt retains original dark finish. PROVENANCE: Bill Samaha, Pam Boynton, Lee Hanes.