Lot 198
18th C. British Powder Horn w/ Map - Fort Ticonderoga
18th C. British Powder Horn w/ Map - Fort Ticonderoga
Current Bid: $800
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Colonial America, British, French, and Indian War, 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot ("Black Watch"), Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, ca. 1759 CE. A richly inscribed and historically resonant powder horn from the French and Indian War, carved with the name of "Lieut. John Surrey" of the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot, the famed Scottish infantry regiment known as the Black Watch. This regiment played a prominent role in the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga (1758), one of the pivotal clashes of the conflict. The body of the horn is engraved with the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, featuring the lion and unicorn supporters and the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" encircling the shield. Above the escutcheon appears a stag and a rooster flanking a cross, while additional motifs include hunters, animals, trees, houses, and a windmill, all deeply incised in a lively hand. A poem, etched in flowing script, declares: "This powder / may it freely flow / and lay the enemy / right, Lo." Size: 13.4" L x 2.7" W (34 cm x 6.9 cm)
Of particular note is the large cartographic engraving that wraps around the surface, depicting the Hudson River corridor from Albany northward to Fort William Henry on Lake George, extending into the southern reaches of Lake Champlain. At the site of Fort Ticonderoga appears the enigmatic inscription "CBYL," marking its strategic location. This map not only served as decoration but also as a geographical reminder of the regiment's theater of operations. The horn retains its darkened wooden stopper, carved with the initials "J.S.," and fitted with a leather suspension strap. The spout is neatly turned and ringed, showing careful workmanship.
Powder horns of this type, decorated with maps, mottos, and regimental heraldry, were more than utilitarian - they were personal objects of identity, loyalty, and morale carried into battle. This example, tied directly to an officer of the Black Watch, embodies both the artistry of soldiers in the field and the fraught history of the war for control of North America.
Provenance: private Salt Lake City, Utah, USA collection; ex-Amelia Jeffers, Columbus, Ohio, USA; ex-Link Auction Galleries, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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#197466
- Condition: Some expected weathering and surface wear as shown with stable hairline fissures in areas. Minor nicks and abrasions, but otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive preservation of detail and rich patina throughout.
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