"The Prairie Legends" Horns by T.C. Albert

Illinois was once on the edge of the western frontier, and though they are mostly forgotten today, there were many legendary characters and important historical events that helped shape the Prairie State. Fortunately some of these exploits and legends were recorded by the prairie's early residents in letters and diaries, or even preserved in published volumes written by the likes of Judge James Hall, an avid writer and historian who witnessed many of the events he recorded first hand as one of the states earliest residents.

 

A set of engraved contemporary powder horns was dedicated to these people and their stories. Called "The Prairie Legends" series, these horns were carved  by TC Albert nearly twenty years ago. They were often carved in the "Tansel" style, and were aquired by private collectors. Each horn was engraved with a different legend or theme depicting an historical person that pertained to the early frontier history of the Illinois country. There was the legendary Pisaw Bird; the story of Peter Featherton, the exploits of the infamous Indian Hater, Captain Sterling and the highlanders who accepted Ft. De Chartres from the French at the close of the F+I war, and even a whaling captain who relocated to the rolling sea of green prairies named Lemuel Potter....and many more.

The carvings shown here are from several of these "Prairie Legend" horns aquired by and in the private collection of Mr. Ed Haage.

Copy and photos supplied by T.C. Albert

“The Arkabutla/Oh Brother” Historic River Series Pouch and Horn Set by T.C. Albert

Just before the great market crash of 1929, the great floods of 1927 deluged the entire Mississippi river basin. To prevent such a catastrophic flood from happening again, the Army Corps of Engineers set about making a series of dams and water retention reservoirs, including the “Arkabutla” along the Coldwater River in Mississippi, and the famous flood scene in the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” depicts this historic event.

In 2000 “Oh Brother” caused a blue grass revival of sorts, with Everett McGill and the Soggy Bottom boys singing “Man of Constant Sorrow” leading the way, but back in the 1930s when the movie was set, there was a muzzleloading revival going on. In 1931, the same year that the Empire State building was completed, men like Red Farris and Oscar Seth were forming the fledgling N.M.L.R.A in Portsmouth Ohio. About the time of F.D.R’s New Deal and “we have nothing to fear” speeches, the NMLRA was meeting with another group down in Rising Sun Indiana, and eventually the W.L.W. and the NMLRA merged. By 1935 they were holding their first combined national shoots, and the rest is history, with men like Gilbert Angel, Walter Cline, Bill Large, Henry Pancake, Boss Johnson and Andy Whitehurst setting the stage for the event that is still held annually at the Friendship Indiana range to this day.

The 1930s was an important decade for the nation, and for muzzleloading, and the “Arkabutla/ Oh Brother” tribute set is carefully constructed from many original items from that era. Befitting the circumstances of many of the rural muzzleloader shooters in the 1930s, the bag itself is rather utilitarian and simple and made from salvaged leather. But it is well made with welted seams and decorative incising that matches the fancy incised lines on the original 1930s, hand hammered “art deco/craftsman” style buckle that is used for the strap adjustment. The powder horn has a turned antler collar and applied bone tip reflecting the southern regions where such horns were always popular, and where the traditional muzzleloading shooting match held on in outposts like Pall Mall Tennessee. The horn keepers button to the heavy canvas strap on old “two hole” bone buttons.

The cane measure is a double, one end pouring a small half charge, and the other a bigger “loaded fer’ bear” full one. It is based on an original, and hangs on a chain that is attached to the strap. Also on a chain hanging next to the measure, is a fine wire nipple pick. Where the chains attach to the strap, there’s an original “Roosevelt for Humanity” campaign button, showing that just like in the “Oh Brother” movie, politics was a topic on everybody’s mind in the 1930s. Nothing illustrates actual 1930s politics better than the campaigns of F.D.R.

The bag knife is an original “O.V.B.” pocket knife, made for and marketed in the 1930s by “Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & co.” Such knives were sold back then for about fifty cents, but in the days when a common phrase were “hey brother, can ya’ spare a dime”, you can see that wasn’t exactly cheap.

Another phrase coming out of the economic hardship of those days was “waste not want not”, and with that in mind the bullet bag or traditional suggin’, is made from salvaged antique feed sack ticking. It has a cane spout, and an improvised “rolled and sewn” ticking stopper.

The cap tin is made from “Dapper Dan”, “mens genuine seal oil pomade” that you probably remember was all that Everett McGill would use. Though believe it or not, “Dapper Dan” was never really marketed, it is now one of the most memorable Hollywood props and is inseparably associated with the movie “Oh Brother” and the time it was set in. You probably also remember the scene from the movie where the flood waters sweep in wash over the McGill cabin, that many tins of “Dapper Dan” can be seen floating by. No Arkabutla tribute would be complete without one.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the men who not only preserved, but who nationally revived our muzzleloading heritage during the difficult times of the 1930s. Though it is often most remembered for everything we lost during the great depression, like the movie “Oh Brother” tries to light heartedly show us, quite a few good things can be celebrated from that time as well, and the “Arkabutla/ Oh Brother” historic rivers pouch set is dedicated especially to those.

Copy and photos by T.C. Albert

“The Missouri” by T.C. Albert

In 1822, from mid February to the end of March, St. Louis news papers carried a want add to all “To Enterprising Young Men”. From their office on “B Street”, General William H. Ashley and Major Andrew Henry were planning to send a fur brigade up the Missouri that would eventually establish the entire western rendezvous system. Famous “Mountain Men” the likes of Jed Smith, William and Milton Sublette, Tom Fitzpatrick, Jim Bridger, James Clyman, Hugh Glass, and David Jackson were all proud to be called “Ashley Men”. The next pouch set in the Historic Rivers of the Frontier series, “The Missouri”, pays tribute to these men and events.

The pouch is stoutly made from thick, old blacksmith side leather. Its simple design and construction reflect my interpretation of a standard utility type commercial shot pouch that would have been made for the trade and available for sale in centers like St. Louis. An antique iron buckle allows for strap adjustment.

Attached to the front of the bag in its own sheath, hangs an antique, hand made “six pin” butcher knife, where it’s ready and capable to do service as a utility blade for light camp chores, cut rifle patches, skin a beaver or even butcher a buffalo. Such knives, whether made by professional European cutlers and imported for the trade, or hand made home spun local versions like this one, were essential items available all along the western frontier.

The powder horn is fashioned from a vintage buffalo horn. The Sheffield style brass head is adjustable, and was available on commercially made trade horns, and was used by mountain men like Mariano Modena. The horn hangs on hand made swivel rings and is sewn to the bag straps.

Speaking further of the west, the accompanying powder measure is carved from the tip of a prong horn antelope horn. It hangs from a ring and an iron chain and is sewn to the front bag strap.

The included cap box is there to represent the swift changes that would soon follow Ashley’s men up the Missouri. As the fur trade quickly played out, many of these same men would soon find themselves leading settlers into the west, fighting Indian wars, or guiding military expeditions. Soon they would be carrying percussion guns like the heavy Hawken rifle made especially for the western plains, and even the Paterson Colt revolver like Kit Carson was reputed to do. For a time, the plains rifle and the revolver served side by side, but as the era faded, repeating cartridge arms replaced the muzzle loader in the west altogether. Like many of Ashley’s men, I believe a rig like “The Missouri” could easily have seen it all.

Copy and photos supplied by T.C. Albert