American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Approx. 20 1/2 in. lg., 4 1/4 in. diam. oxen horn having leather cover and decorative trim to base attached with rivets, with scrimshaw work covering 2/3 of the body of the horn. Signed "W.D.R." beneath illustrated portion. (Some small holes and other punctures to horn body, patination, wear to leather."

Illustrated rope motif continues throughout the entirety of the horn, bordering each vignette and surrounding central text panel beneath title reading, "From Virginia / to the Mississippi / 1701 to 1800."  Depictions include: A portrait of Colonel William Crawford, "a hero of the revolution, a noted Indian fighter." A description of his heroism is included beneath portrait, reading "Captured by the Delaware Indians of whom Simon Girty was a power and a leader. run the gauntlet three times doomed to die tortured at the stake at Chillicothe on the Ohio July the 11th 1782." -- A sketch of a woman killing a Native American subject with an axe. Caption reads "Mrs Porter killing her intended murderer / Kentucky." -- A sketch of a man bound by ropes riding a horse. Caption reads "Simon Kenton's Mazappa [sic] ride / doomed to die three times at the age of 23 tied to the stake September 1778 Made his escape died in 1836 at the age of 81 / run the gauntlet three times." -- A depiction of a pioneer couple apprehending two Native American subjects, the man hitting one with a tomahawk and the woman pointing a long rifle at the other. Caption reads "A pioneer hero and heroin of North Carolina defending their home." -- A standing portrait of Simon Girty wearing fringed hide and holding a long spear. Caption reads "Simon Girty the British renegade a Sworn enemy of the pioneers in glee Slaughtering helples wimmun [sic] and children present at the torture and death of Colonel Crawford died at a miserable old age." -- And 4 other depictions of white pioneers struggling with Native American subjects including "Lewis Wetzel of Virginia," "Daniel Boone founder of Kentucky 1767," "Simon Kenton of Virginia," and "Mrs Pursley of Virginia."

Consignor relates this horn came from a collection in Kansas City.