Even the toughest of frontiersmen occasionally need to be fortified. Albert Emanuel’s contribution to this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will fit the bill. Emmanuel has created a perfectly sized and tastefully decorated whiskey flask. The piece, made from flattened cow horn, measures 3 ½ inches wide and 5 ½ inches tall. One side of the [...]

The Bowie knife is an American original: rugged, fierce, and as imposing as the frontier that gave birth to the legendary blade. With good reason, the quintessential Bowie is popular with collectors, and bidders at this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will have the opportunity to own a truly stellar example by Pennsylvania artist Trey Scott. [...]

During the 18th and 19th centuries, no self-respecting gentleman, or scoundrel for that matter, would consider venturing into public without a hat. For the modern-day frontiersman headed for the range, the rendezvous, or the woods, that hasn’t changed. For those hoping to set their headgear apart from the crowd, CLA artist Djuana Tucker has donated [...]

This year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will be pleased to present a quintessential example of the Native American ball headed war club. Favored for centuries, such clubs could be considered status symbols as well as weapons. Carr’s piece is in the style of 18th century Great Lakes effigy clubs. Although many modern reproductions are simply made [...]

For a refreshing splash of period home decor, this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction is pleased to present an original Fraktur painting by artist Beckie Mooneyhan. Mooneyhan is perhaps best known for her period textile creations, but she explains that for this year’s auction, “I tried to create something out of my comfort zone.” Her fraktur [...]

Terry Smith’s contribution to this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will make a very unique addition to any collection. It’s a sturdy hunter’s bag that’s perfectly suited for use by the modern frontiersman; but it will serve equally well as an eye-catching piece of period decor for your home. Smith’s bag is made from an original [...]

     Now, imagine a very young soldier in the1800s who had lost everything in battle. Desperately, he searches about the battlefield hoping to piece together a rifle and accouterments only to find nothing more than broken and damaged pieces. Lacking any professional skills, and even talent, he uses his very limited resources to patch together as [...]

Artist Ron Hess had donated a stellar shooter’s rig for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction which he’s christened the “Eagle Set.” Ron crafted the powder horn for this outstanding set. He describes it as an applied tip powder horn that features a large engraving of a Tansel-style Federal eagle. The horn is fitted with a [...]

This mid-Southern hunting pouch is the result of an eight month collaboration between Brad Mills and John Barrett that began at the 2023 CLA Show in Lexington, Kentucky.  Brad constructed the bag using a mixture of vegetable tanned leather, home tanned, and brain tanned deerskin. The strap on the bag is vegetable tanned cowhide with [...]

Scott Summerville is one of the CLA’s premium knifemakers.  Scott specialize in folding knives and every year Scott donates a special knife to the CLF Fundraising Auction.  His work is comparable to the finest Sheffeild work from the early twentieth century with authentic 18th century style.  They are excellent users.  This year’s knife continues this [...]

Artist Cory Joe Stewart has created an outstanding example of the classic heart-shaped bag for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction.   It’s a stellar piece fully appropriate for the field, but is a work of art suitable for display in home or office. Stewart crafted the body of the bag from bark tanned deer hide; the [...]

Folks in Early America could be notorious for a prodigious consumption of strong drink. Artists Kathy England and Denise Cossel have collaborated on a unique horn for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction that pays fitting tribute to our thirsty forebears.  England scratch built the horn and added expert - if whimsical - engraving. The ring [...]

This 18th century style longhunter sash is woven with linen thread in dark gold, medium brown, dark olive green, and Shetland wool, the color of golden autumn foliage.   On the loom, the linen threads make up the warp and run the length of the sash, becoming the twisted fringe at each end once the piece [...]

The trio of Frank Willis, Nathan Allen, and Jim Pease created an outstanding blackpowder rig for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction. Willis created the bag for this set from 4 and 5 ounce vegetable tanned leather, sewn with waxed linen thread. It’s a close copy of an original bag, and finished off with Fiebing’s walnut [...]

Tyler Mazer has created this quality folding knife for this year’s auction. This is a hand forged knife with hand filing and fitting.  Based on a blend of folder styles found in “Swords and Knives of the American Revolution” and an original 4 panel folder of Tyler's, this knife features brass bolsters, and side plates. [...]

Whether you’re target shooter, hunter, or reenactor, you most definitely need appropriate headgear for your next cold weather adventure. Artist Emily Burns’ contribution to this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will definitely fit the bill. Burns has donated a period appropriate knit cap that’s both warm and comfortable. The cap is made from high quality merino [...]

A team of artists, who participated in the CLF New and Aspiring Artists Program in 2023, joined forces to create a fine set for this year’s Fundraising Auction as a thank you to the Foundation.  Dwight Gallian created a one-of-a-kind variation of the classic D-shaped hunting bag. The piece is made from deeply colored Tundra [...]

Faithful auction supporter Verlin Cossel has once again donated an outstanding example of his work to this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction. Cossel’s frontier knife is a pleasing blend of solid craftsmanship, pleasing aesthetics, and outright creativity. Cossel has created a stellar example of the quintessential antler-handled knife which also pays homage to the late Hershel [...]

      Survival on the frontier required one to have skills or know someone who had the skills in need.  Friends and family provided support in areas where skills were needed.  As they gathered at frontier outposts for their regular muster days, the sharing of skills and craft would be put together to make sure the gear [...]

This year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will feature a museum-quality reproduction of a traditional Great Lakes style twined bag. It’s a fresh opportunity for collectors to add a unique and useful piece of art to their collections. The bag is a faithful recreation inspired by an original Anishinaabe bag which is now in the collection of [...]

For this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction, artists Sarah Miller and Tim Sanner have teamed up to create a unique bag and horn set that’s a work of art in its own right. The rig is built around Miller’s possibles bag. The bag, which measures 6 x 7 inches, is made from goat hide and is [...]

Every treasured flintlock needs protection when transported to the range or the field. This year’s CLF Fundraising Auction will offer collectors the opportunity to acquire a beautiful rifle scabbard by two of the CLA’s best textile artists. The project started with cotton canvas, beautifully transformed into a work of art by Kerry Masarik. Masarik used [...]

This handmade lantern is in the 18th-century style of home or tavern lanterns.  It is not the work of a professional lantern maker, but more in the style of a frontier blacksmith or traveling tinker. All of the metal sections are from leftover flat stock. Mixed brass and copper were hammered into the needed shapes. [...]

Artists Jay Blain and Billy Griner teamed up to create a straightforward shooter’s rig for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction. Blain’s contribution is a well-built bag perfect for the modern frontiersman. The artist describes it as a simple flat sewn bag that’s based on a 19th century original from eastern Pennsylvania. The bag, made from [...]

For this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction, a trio of the CLA’s finest teamed up to create a unique hunting rig that highlights the role of faith and religion in our country’s history. Jeff Luke explains that he “wanted the set to be indicative of a home-built rig that may have been carried by a common [...]

Bidders at the CLF Fundraising Auction rarely have the opportunity to acquire original fine art through the exciting yearly event. But attendees at this year’s auction will have a unique chance to own an original painting by noted frontier artist Dave Hasler. The artist explains that the painting, titled Hunter’s Home, can be interpreted in [...]

Artist Robert Hill created an outstanding Southern style rifle for this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction. Hill started with an exceptional blank of very dense curly maple. He crafted an early style rifle with a large stock, wide buttplate, and strong architecture.  The stock is married to a 44-inch-long, .54 caliber Rice swamped barrel and a [...]

Ron Turner has submitted an excellent powder horn to this year's auction. This horn is based on an historical example from 1755. The original horn is known as the William Willams horn and was made by John Bush.  CLA member Lee Larkin has extensively researched John Bush. We know John Bush was a free black [...]

Graig Osborne made this splendid .50 caliber, Southern themed rifle for this year’s auction. This is an iron-mounted, high-grade Southern rifle with a captured lid box, carved and engraved.  The “captured lid box”, is a box lid totally encapsulated by its single-piece metal surround.  It’s usually identified as originating in North Carolina.  From North Carolina [...]

For this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction, artists Ken Scott and Ron Vail have teamed up to create a unique southern style  hunter’s rig that combines original thinking with homespun ingenuity. The artists have affectionately christened their donation the “Focks Sqeerl” set. Scott created the sturdy leather bag. It sports a deep brown patina and has [...]