Ray Boessel Junior has graciously donated one of his Chippewa-style birch bark canoes as an auction item for the 2013 CLA show in Lexington. It is a scaled down version (model) of the larger size he makes at his canoe shop in Northern Minnesota, near the Big Fork River. It measures five feet long and almost a foot wide. The materials in its construction are the exactly the same as his large canoes. White birch bark is used for...
You may not have heard much about him yet, but Im sure you soon will. One of the youngest artisans of the Contemporary Longrifle Association, Joshua Crain approached us about donating a project to the 2013 War of 1812 fund raising auction, and then totally knocked it out of the park with this commemorative knife. We asked Josh if he might want to tell us a bit about himself and his project, and heres what he had to say: Hello,...
In the War of 1812, during naval battles on the Great Lakes or on the high seas, it was customary for ships to engage with cannon as they closed upon each other, and then to finally board each other where the final outcome of the engagement was settled in hand to hand combat. With its sharp steel spike, the boarding ax was designed to pry red hot cannon balls from the wooden decks before they could catch fire and...
Curt Gillock of Two Fools Leather Goods has made this "Hair-on Flop-top Trunk" for the upcoming CLA fundraising auction. It's number 7 of only 10. The palonia wood frame is covered with a fine Brindle hair-on steer hide. The "English Tanned Harness Leather" straps, handles and trim are all edged and burnished by hand. The actual "Floptop" is backed and bound to a strong piece of the same leather as a strengthener. It is then hand-sewn through the wooden...
An undeniably important piece of our shared "Culture of the Longrifle" is the knife. So inseperable were frontiersmen and their ever present big blades, that they were identified by them and actually called "longknives", both a name and a trait that persisted as long as such men roamed our American frontiers. Our auction wouldnt be complete with out a few of these iconic knives to choose from, and true to form, CLA artists specializing in the creation of these...
The CLA "Alligator Horse" rifle by Mitch Yates and the ALR Moderators" Mitch Yates and the moderators over at American Long Rifles web site have made a very special rifle for the upcoming CLA fund raising auction. This Dickert style rifle was designed to pay tribute to the legendary Hunters of Kentucky and their expliots at the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson. The rifle has a special "Alligator Horse" silver inlay, and silver presentation plack affixed inside the...
A complete Rifle Accoutrement Tool Set and Quilled Storage Pouch by Larry and Zach Callahan Every rifle needs some special custom tools to keep it firing well and in working order. Realizing that, artists Larry and Zach Callahan, a father and son team from Pevely Missouri, worked together to make a very nice and very complete set of riflemans accoutrements and the specially made brain tanned, quill decorated pouch to keep them in. We are very happy to include their...
Tecumseh's Pipe Ax made by Brian Barker This CLA fundraising auction item was crafted by artist Brian Barker. He has researched and created a copy of a pipe ax once owned by the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. The exploits of Tecumseh during the war of 1812 are famous, and to have this hand forged, hand engraved, silver inlaid copy of his personal tomahawk in our auction definately demonstrates the level of research and dedication to craftsmanship that our CLA artists are...
A Traditional Quill Decorated Storage Box Made by Mariah Blake CLA artist Mariah Blake has crafted a traditional Native American piece for the auction, a quill decorated birch bark storage box. This beautiful little lidded box is completely decorated with red, white and blue dyed porcupine quills. To do it, she patiently anchored the ends of each hand dyed quill into a tiny hole bored into the birch bark, creating a classic chevron pattern as she worked. The lid is...
A War of 1812 Militiamans Cartridge Box by Frank Barker In 1812, America's standing army numbered less than 12,000 men. Because of this, President Madison called upon local and state militia units to carry the day. They were simply asked to invade and capture Canada, which would quickly force the British into negotiations or even surrender. Things didnt prove quite so easy, but Madison was correct in assuming that a large burden of the fighting would indeed fall upon local...
JACK HUBBARDS BATTLE OF HORSESHOE BEND POWDER HORN Though the War of 1812 was a nationwide war, most battles were fought in the Northeast, on the high seas and on the Great Lakes. But in the South turmoil among the Indians was promoted by the British and their Indian allies. The Creeks, known as the Red Sticks, armed by the British carried the war to the white settlers living on the frontiers, including forays into Tennessee. In August 1813, Red...
War of 1812 Midshipmans Dirk by Glenn Mock The war of 1812 was ignited over our right to free trade and unrestricted shipping. To demand these rights, our fledgling maritime force had to square off with the Kings own royal Navy. Britannia prided the ability to rule the seas, and her fighting ships and the sailors that manned were some of the best disciplined and equipped in the world at that time. That didn't stop us from taking them on...
Old Hickory Salt Horn" by Harris Maupin During the War of 1812, the extraordinary acts of heroism and bravery of many American patriots became legendary and their names were entered into the pages of history. For many, even after the war, these deeds served to advance their careers in ways they probably never dreamed of. The feats of General Andrew Jackson, especially at the Battle of New Orleans, successfully propelled his political career to the very heights of presidency the...
Team work and cooperation have become hallmark of the CLA and its members. The "Joseph Stewart" horn and pouch set made especially for the upcoming CLA live auction in Lexington this August, and the four CLA members that worked together to create it, embody what that attitude can accomplish even by proxy working together separately across the country. The coordinator of this project was Chris Barker, and he describes how the team members pulled it all together best: ** *"During the Autumn of 2011 CLA official Tim...
Harris Maupin of Hillsboro Missouri carved this large powder horn for the upcoming CLA fundraising auction in Lexington Kentucky, and if a picture is worth a thousand words, then the carvings on this horn could easily represent a whole book about the events that took place at the Battle of New Orleans. Harris carved the horn in the "Andrew Clark" style, where the various scenes are engraved vertically in a very detailed manner. There are soldiers, field artillery, battle...
Tecumseh/Brock War Club by Mike McHugh. When the war of 1812 finally broke out, General Isaac Brockhad been preparing for it for quite some time. After stopping the American advance under the command of William Hull, Brock met the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and together they planned an attack that resulted in the fall of Detroit and the capture of its entire garrison. Brock and Tecumseh became instant friends, and after the Battle of Detroit they exchanged gifts and tokens of that...
"A traditional Native American Tobacco Pipe by James Blake and Chris Hays" James Blake and Chris Hays have teamed up to create a truly iconic Native American item for our auction, one that would have typically been crafted and used by Native Americans all along the frontier during the War of 1812 . Chris has carefully fashioned a pewter inlaid, red "Catlinite" pipe bowl, and to accompany it James made a traditional quill decorated and incise carved pipe stem. This is...
Another item specially made for the upcoming CLA auction is a detailed copy of the Francis Tansel Fort Meigs powder horn. Two very similar Ft. Meigs were made by Francis while he actually served at Ft. Meigs as a volunteer in Boswells 10th Kentucky Militia regiment, and it is believed that there once may even have been a third. The special horn for this set, complete with its turned and applied walnut tip, fish mouth, and toothed engrailing was crafted...
In 1811, the Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, conducted a mission to the Creek Nation in Alabama. He urged the Creeks to throw off the white culture that many had adopted and return to the ancient traditions of their people. Many Creeks heeded Tecumseh's call, while others resisted. A civil war broke out among the Creek Nation in 1812, almost the same time the war between the United States and Great Britain began. The traditionalist faction, known as the Red Sticks,...
An 18th CENTURY CAMPAIGN HORN and discharge papers By Scott and Cathy Sibley If you know anything about contemporary powder horns, then you know about the husband and wife team, from Wyoming, that have long been recognized as two of the nations premier horn makers. I am proud to tell you that for our 2012 live auction, Scott and Cathy volunteered to craft a beautiful war of 1812 themed campaign horn, but not satisfied to stop there, they took this special...
[Pictured above is Larry Spisak's copy of the Tecumseh Gun with the original below.] Dear readers, as promised, here is the first of the CLA live auction items. Some of you may have recognized the British Indian Department brand from the last CLA auction post. It is the brand applied to guns that the British gave to their Indian allies during the war of 1812. This year's live auction includes a copy of the gun once owned by Tecumseh, and...
