AMER WINTER 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.
FINE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR POWDER HORN AND COMMISSIONS OF ABNER CURTIS, ALONG WITH HIS REVOLUTIONARY WAR COMMISSION.Professional scrimshawed horn measuring 15" long and 3" diameter base, "ENSIGN ABNER CURTIS'S / HORN MADE AT CROWN POINT SEPT 26 1759". Two Colonial British commissions signed by Thomas Fitch, Governor of the Colony of Connecticut (March 22, 1759 - Ensign. March 24, 1760 - Lieutenant). Crown Point played an important role in the French and Indian War with a large British garrison built in 1759 after the French had been pushed back into Canada. Later during the American Revolution, on May 12, 1775 the garrison at Crown Point was taken from the British by 'THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS" and later used as a staging area by Benedict Arnold for the Navy on Lake Champlain. The fort was abandoned by the Americans in 1777 and the British held this fort until abandoned 1780. The United States, with the defeat of the British, had no need for this fort and it was left to deteriorate. Crown Point is now a historic park rebuilt to the way it looked in 1759.
Powder horns made at Crown Point are well known from French and Indian War and later from the Revolutionary War. There is at least one additional Curtis family horn known also carved at Crown Point. An interesting note, this horn and three commissions offered here were displayed in 1906 during the centennial celebration of Meriden, CT.
Revolutionary War commission to Lt. Abner Curtis signed by Governor John Trumbull, March 21, 1777 is framed with French & Indian War examples. Also included in this lot are several other framed and loose 18th Century family documents and two family bibles. Along with Mr. Toffolon's research materials regarding the powder horn and the Curtis family. SIZE: PROVENANCE: Estate of Siro R. Toffolon, of Old Lyme, CT. CONDITION: Horn very good overall. An old chip and several cracks at spout. Horn has good surface. Decoration easily seen. Stopper is a more contemporary addition. Documents are easily read, though damage to seals evident on two French and Indian War appointments. These two commissions are cracked at folds and dry mounted in frame. The Revolutionary War appointment is missing seal but easily read as mounted in same frame. The two bibles are both shaken with cracked hinges. One missing title page; other appears complete. Dated 1785, Edingburgh. Several inscriptions including "Lucy Curtis, her bible bought in the year 1786". There are numerous small notes and some laid-in lists showing births and deaths in family including Winfield Curtis's birth in 1848 who had loaned these commissions and horn to the 1906 Meriden Centennial Celebration. 49488-1 JS (5,000-8,000)