September 26, 2018 O'Connor's Americana Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2018
This rare Minuteman attributed powder horn is inscribed: "IOHN : WRIGHT : BORN : SP"
"IN : CONCORD : IVLY : 29 : 1733 :"
"MAID : APRIL : 19"
"1758".
There is a geomentric border pattern of half circles and other shapes carved at the plug end of the horn. In addition, geometric borders and pannels are carved around all lettering. The horn's decoration includes many well carved and shaded animals including a unicorn, peacock, swan, dog, owl, and goat, among others. The horn measures 12 - 1/2" overall.
The "SP" carved alongside the owner's name is believed to be the signature of the horn's carver, Stephen Parks, a farmer who lived in Lincoln, Massachusetts and carved several horns reportedly used by Minutemen.
As recorded by the horn and a headstone located at the Hillside Cemetary in Westford, Massachusetts, John Wright was born July 29/30, 1733 at Concord, Massachusetts and died on July 1, 1802 at Westford, Massachusetts, aged 68 years.
There is a Sergeant John Wright who is listed among the men under the command of Captain Timothy Underwood in Colonel William Prescott's Regiment of Minutemen from Middlesex County, Massachusetts. These men marched at the alarm on April 19, 1775, the date of the famed "shot heard around the world", to defend the Colony of Massachusetts against the British troops. There are several other known horns carved by Stephen Parks that were reportedly used at Concord Bridge by Minute-men. Stephen Parks' own son Willard Parks carried a horn carved by his faher on that fateful April day. Another Parks attributed horn in the collection of the Concord Antiquarian Society is also believed to have been used at the battle.
Condition: Fair, as described. Missing butt plug and spout, with chipping and fraying at the spout end. There is also a 2 inch horizontal crack at the butt end. Some surface damage effecting several of the animals at two locations is present.