*Bovine Powder Horn, c.1850, Very Good Condition & Working Order*
A well-preserved 19th-century powder horn, fashioned from natural bovine horn with brass-mounted spout and hinged spring cover. The broad end is closed with a turned wooden base plug, fitted with its original screw-in stopper. Two small iron suspension rings remain (one now lost) for attaching a carrying cord. The horn retains its smooth, naturally polished surface, displaying fine variegation from pale amber to dark brown.
Approx. Measurements: 37 cm (curved length) × 8 cm diameter at the plug.
Historical Note: Such powder horns were widely carried by sportsmen and militia during the first half of the 19th century, holding the priming or main charge for flintlock and early percussion firearms. The use of horn—naturally light, watertight, and spark-resistant—made these ideal field accessories well into the mid-Victorian period, until replaced by metal and composite flasks from firms such as Dixon, Hawksley, and Bartram.
*Condition* Very good condition overall, showing honest age patina to fittings and horn surface. Brass spout and spring cover operate correctly; wooden stopper and threaded plug both intact. One suspension lug absent, otherwise complete and in working order. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
