May 27, 2020 Founders & Patriots
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/27/2020
Amber-colored, thin-walled, powder horn of 6 1/2 inches length, with rounded, wooden plug or butt of oval profile, 2 1/2 inches at its widest point, and tip or mouthpiece edged by two carved, concentric rings. Thebody of the horn is engraved with a well-executed panoply of arms related to the artillery service and reminiscent of devices observed on War of 1812 New York cap and belt plates, consisting of a cannon on field carriage and a mortar on its bed, surmounted by a 13-star American flag, an artillerist's linstock, a halbert, a sword and various flags and guidons. Just below the tip of the horn is engraved "Property of / Ezra Ranger" in what appears to be a different and less-skilled hand. The horn is said to have been carried in the War of 1812 by Parson Ranger (1767-1840), originally from East Hampton but who had relocated to Queensbury in Warren County, New York prior to 1797. Parsons was a sergeant in Churchill's Regiment of New York militia during the War of 1812 and in 1820, was cornet of the Queensbury Light Dragoons. His second son, Ezra (1803-1834), was ensign and paymaster in the 121st Regiment and elected town clerk in 1832. He died on September 22, 1834 while returning homeward and is buried in the Glen Falls Cemetery, Warren County. 8 silhouette portraits of the Ranger family, attributed to William Chamberlain, including Parsons and Ezra, were sold as lot 1140 in the Skinner Americana sale, 4 August 2007. JLK