ENGRAVED POWDER HORN OF JOHN BELLOWS, DATED 1757 ATTRIBUTED TO SAMUEL LOUNSBURY.

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2018

This horn is engraved: "Iohn BeLLows" "his horn made at Fort No 4. AD 1757" "fteL not this horn for fear of fham for on nit if" "the one ars name" "Who beyeth good Wine" "wAr". Four geese in a row are depicted, along with a well executed goose in flight. Also depicted are what appear to be a mug, bottles and gobblets. Engraved floral designs make up additional decoration on this horn. It still bears its original extended lobe.The convex, pine plug is attached with wooden pegs. This horn measures 13" overall. Two brothers, Benjamin Bellows Jr. and John Bellows, had powder horns carved for them at Fort Number Four at Charlestown in 1757. They were seventeen and fifteen years old, respectively, at the time and their family was living in a wilderness cabin. Their father, Col. Benjamin Bellows Jr. had constructed the cabin on his patent at what was to become Walpole, New Hampshire. The Colonel had purchased a charter from Governor Wentworth in 1752, and joined the only other homesteader about half a mile away in an entirely undeveloped forest. By 1755 several other families homesteaded in and around Walpole. However, in 1755 an Indian attack drove the frightened settlers south to safety. Therefore, in 1757 and 1758 the wilderness was unbroken except for the Fort at Charlestown, which was only sixteen miles north of Walpole. Undoubtedly, the two brothers spent time at Fort Number Four in the company of the soldiers who were stationed there and had the horns made for them at that time as both horns by different hands are dated 1757. Bellows is an old family in New England,beginning with the immigration of John Bellows at the age of twelve to America from England on the ship Hopewell in 1635. Their origins trace from a Norman family who came to England with William the Conqueror named "de Belle Eau", which was anglicized to Bellows. John and his brother Benjamin are buried in the Village Cemetery in Walpole, New Hampshire. According to John Bellows' gravestone, he was born October 22, 1742 at Lunenburg, MA and died on August 19, 1812. This occupation is listed as a farmer, although he did serve in Col. B. Bellows' Regiment during the Revolutionary War. According to noted author and collector Tom Grinslade, Walter attributed this horn to the "JW" carver. "JW" used a similar style of vertical figure, elaborate layouts and goose motifs on his horns. Tom Grinslade had owned the horn belonging to Benjamin Bellows, although by a different hand. Both Bellows horns were photographed together at The Kentucky Rifle Association meeting at Carlisle June 21, 2009. These photographs are included with this horn. Benjamin Bellow's horn is pictured on pages 30 and 31 of Tom Grinslade's book "Powder Horns". On page 43, number 67 of Grancsay's "American Powder Horns" a horn is listed as "John Bellows, Grider, F.W.215.". Condition: Very Good, with some wear. This horn displays a nice, untouched dark and medium honey colored patina. It is basically as found. Due to patina and use some of the lettering is a bit clouded. There is a hairline crack on the lobe. There are also several period chips on the ring at the spout and another on the spout tip. A very small insect hole is located above the owner's name. Otherwise there are normal minimal abrasions consistent with a period horn.