November 17, 2020 Early Arms & Militaria: Age of Exploration, Empire & Revolution
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2020
The horn is approximately 17" long, inclusive of the turned, wooden butt plug of 3" diameter; the horn is of a greenish caste and its octagonal-faceted tip has two grooves, with a plain body upon which is painted in red with black highlighting: “3rd VA Regt. Of Arty.”; the plug has a forged iron nail hammered in its center, which served to secure the strap at that end. Scientific testing of the red and black paint confirm that they are both composed of pigments appropriate to the late 18th and early 19th centuries; the testing paperwork accompanies the horn. From 1792-1799, the state militia of Virginia was organized into five geographic divisions, subdivided further into brigades and regiments (the latter usually on a county basis), which was reduced to four divisions from 1800-1820. Within each division was one cavalry and one artillery regiment, which adopted the number of the parent division. Thus, the 3rd Virginia Artillery Regiment was composed of various companies of militia artillery within the 3rd Division, which in 1800 covered the western half of the state (essentially all counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountain range, which served as the eastern bounds of the 3rd Division). CONDITION: Overall very good and complete, the turned wooden butt plug probably originally fully painted red, but the paint only remains in the grooved rings presently; the red/black lettering on the horn body worn and with some loss. JLK
Item Dimensions: 14 x 7"