September 29, 2021 The Bill Myers Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/29/2021
This horn is featured on page 260 of "Kentucky Rifles & Pistol: 1751-1850" published by Jim Johnson and Golden Age Arms. Horn measures 17” overall on its outside curve. Engraved "STEPHEN KELLOGGs; HORN ; MARCH 20th 1777". An historic, bold and whimsical horn with Folk Art appeal. In August 28, 1832, Stephen Kellogg applied for his Revolutionary War service pension(which he received), at age 75, with the Court of Probate at Berkshire County, Massachusetts. He stated that he enlisted in the month of April, 1775 a few days after the battle of Lexington took place. Stephen served under Colonel Whitcomb, Captain Agrippa Wells, Lieutenant Zekial Foster and Ensign Jacob Pool. He commenced service at Cambridge and witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill and the burning of Charleston. In February of 1776 he enlisted again at Shelburne Massachusetts, where he lived, to go for one year to Canada. In the following December, he enlisted again at Shelburne and marched to Albany and then to Saratoga, Fort Edward, Fort Anne and Schensborough (sic)to Ticonderoga. He remained at Ticonderoga until he was again discharged. Mr. Kellogg volunteered later, at the time of the Battle of Bennington in Vermont and joined the company under Captain Dickinson for a month. Images engraved on this horn include a British Flag flying over several stylized structures that could be a fort or encampment. There are also fish, trees and birds along with organic swirls. Of special interest is the image of a man's face artistically engraved into the leading swirl of the "M" in the word March. Most of the remaining letters are embellished with abstract feather type decoration and other whimsical shapes. There is a 3/8” border engraved below the plug and a nicely scalloped edge where the darker throat begins. The throat itself has a distinctively carved ring with a faceted tip above it leading to the spout. A 3/8” strip of patinated copper or brass is pinned to the end of the spout to secure it. Fourteen pages regarding Stephan Kellogg’s federal pension application from the National Archives accompany this lot. Also included is information regarding the winter of 1776-77 and Fort Ticonderoga copied from “Fort Ticonderoga-Key to a Continent” by Edward Hamilton, 1964. CONDITION: A 3/4” inch hairline crack in horn at the plug edge. Also some vacant peg holes and small chips from securing the wooden plug. A 1/2” surface abrasion 1/4” below butt cap. Two indiscernible, hairline cracks extend 1/2” below the copper band at the spout. Clear engraving on a nicely aged and patinated horn. This is a very historic horn of a man who fought at many important locations during the Revolutionary War and is very well documented. DRG