"Steal Not This Horn" at Historic Deerfield
Good day,
I'm just back from a fantastic (and, for November 11, WARM) weekend at Historic Deerfield, where I attend the symposium " STEAL * NOT * THIS * HORN: The Material Culture of Conflict during the French and Indian War".
My interest in this was (1) to see the exhibit of "Engraved Powder Horns from the French and Indian War and the American Revolution: The William H. Guthman Collection", part of a recently aqcuired collection of 75 engraved powder horns; and (2) to learn more about my powder horn made by my friend Mike Slease in the style of John Bush and others.
The Symposium began in the evening of Friday Nov. 19 with a lecture, a reception where the exhibit is, and a splendid dinner at the Deerfield Inn. It was a great seminar, but unfortunately, one of the speakers (author R. Scott Stephenson) was unable to make it. The Friday evening lecture was given by Phil Zea, President of Historic Deerfield and the man most responsible for Deerfield acquiring the powder horn collection of the late William Guthman.
[For a list of the powderhorns acquired in this collection, download this pdf from Historic Deerfield.]
Saturday morning's Keynote speaker was Fred Anderson, author and professor. He's written a number of excellent books on the French and Indian War, including (but not limited to) "Crucible of War," "The War That Made America" (which he co-wrote with R. Scott Stephenson), and "A People's Army.' Massachusetts Soldiers and Society in the Seven Years' War." His lecture was titled "Of Arms and the Yoeman's Son: The Social Contexts of Warfare in Eighteenth-Century New England." Although I haven't read "A People's Army," I got the impression from what he said that this lecture was an extension of that book.
After Fred Anderson was Wallace B. Gusler from Williamsburg, VA. His talk was "The Hunter and Provincial Soldier: Their USe of Powder Horns and Other Equipment" and he basically presented a description of southern (VA) equipment such as what would have been part of Washington's VA regiments, as a comparison with the New England styles.
We then had a box lunch outside in the sunshine. It was so warm I didn't even need my cloak!
After lunch, we had "From Brown Bess to Basket Hilt: British Arms in the French and Indian War" by Erik Goldtein, Curator of Mechanical Arts and Numismatics for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. This was a discussion of basically 18th century arms and weapons, including how to identify them and understand their context.
Next was "An Analysis of the Engraving on the Powder Horns Attributed to John Bush" by Lee A. Larkin, Master Horner of the Honourable Company of Horners. This was very interesting as he reported on a very detailed examination of horns attributed to John Bush and the Selkirk-Page horns. These are horns very similar in style and his analysis essentially identifies which were Bush's horns and who that carvers were of similar horns that have been attributed to Bush. Some of these horns are part of Deerfield's new collection (Whiting's, Israel Putnam's, and more) and some are elsewhere (e.g., Robert Rogers' horn in the museum at Fort Ticonderoga).
That concluded the day, as we were unable to hear Scott Stephenson talk about "The Word of John Bush." Stephenson wrote, among other things, "Clash of Empires
The British, French, and Indian War, 1754-1763," which is primarily a look at the amazing exihibit "Clash of Empires" that is was at the Heinz Museum (where he is a curator) and is now traveling around the country (sort of).
The day ended with dinner and Tavern Night at the Hall Tavern Information Center, including punch, wine, music, and dancing.
Sunday morning featured show-and-tell, as some collectors brought a few of their treasures to share with the attendees.
It was a great weekend and Huzzah! to Historic Deerfield and Phil Zea.
Cheers,
Sarah / Chauncey
I'm just back from a fantastic (and, for November 11, WARM) weekend at Historic Deerfield, where I attend the symposium " STEAL * NOT * THIS * HORN: The Material Culture of Conflict during the French and Indian War".
My interest in this was (1) to see the exhibit of "Engraved Powder Horns from the French and Indian War and the American Revolution: The William H. Guthman Collection", part of a recently aqcuired collection of 75 engraved powder horns; and (2) to learn more about my powder horn made by my friend Mike Slease in the style of John Bush and others.
The Symposium began in the evening of Friday Nov. 19 with a lecture, a reception where the exhibit is, and a splendid dinner at the Deerfield Inn. It was a great seminar, but unfortunately, one of the speakers (author R. Scott Stephenson) was unable to make it. The Friday evening lecture was given by Phil Zea, President of Historic Deerfield and the man most responsible for Deerfield acquiring the powder horn collection of the late William Guthman.
[For a list of the powderhorns acquired in this collection, download this pdf from Historic Deerfield.]
Saturday morning's Keynote speaker was Fred Anderson, author and professor. He's written a number of excellent books on the French and Indian War, including (but not limited to) "Crucible of War," "The War That Made America" (which he co-wrote with R. Scott Stephenson), and "A People's Army.' Massachusetts Soldiers and Society in the Seven Years' War." His lecture was titled "Of Arms and the Yoeman's Son: The Social Contexts of Warfare in Eighteenth-Century New England." Although I haven't read "A People's Army," I got the impression from what he said that this lecture was an extension of that book.
After Fred Anderson was Wallace B. Gusler from Williamsburg, VA. His talk was "The Hunter and Provincial Soldier: Their USe of Powder Horns and Other Equipment" and he basically presented a description of southern (VA) equipment such as what would have been part of Washington's VA regiments, as a comparison with the New England styles.
We then had a box lunch outside in the sunshine. It was so warm I didn't even need my cloak!
After lunch, we had "From Brown Bess to Basket Hilt: British Arms in the French and Indian War" by Erik Goldtein, Curator of Mechanical Arts and Numismatics for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. This was a discussion of basically 18th century arms and weapons, including how to identify them and understand their context.
Next was "An Analysis of the Engraving on the Powder Horns Attributed to John Bush" by Lee A. Larkin, Master Horner of the Honourable Company of Horners. This was very interesting as he reported on a very detailed examination of horns attributed to John Bush and the Selkirk-Page horns. These are horns very similar in style and his analysis essentially identifies which were Bush's horns and who that carvers were of similar horns that have been attributed to Bush. Some of these horns are part of Deerfield's new collection (Whiting's, Israel Putnam's, and more) and some are elsewhere (e.g., Robert Rogers' horn in the museum at Fort Ticonderoga).
That concluded the day, as we were unable to hear Scott Stephenson talk about "The Word of John Bush." Stephenson wrote, among other things, "Clash of Empires
The British, French, and Indian War, 1754-1763," which is primarily a look at the amazing exihibit "Clash of Empires" that is was at the Heinz Museum (where he is a curator) and is now traveling around the country (sort of).
The day ended with dinner and Tavern Night at the Hall Tavern Information Center, including punch, wine, music, and dancing.
Sunday morning featured show-and-tell, as some collectors brought a few of their treasures to share with the attendees.
It was a great weekend and Huzzah! to Historic Deerfield and Phil Zea.
Cheers,
Sarah / Chauncey
posted by Sarah / Chauncey | 4:21 PM
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