2018 Fundraising Archives - Contemporary Longrifle Foundation

Fine Scrimshawed Horn by Lee Cooper

In 1775 a twenty-four year old Englishman found himself on the Colonial American frontier as the American Revolution was taking hold. Nicholas Cresswell was low on cash and took employment with an Indian trader to recoup his fortunes. He left us with a journal of his frontier adventures from Fort Pitt into the Indian Country and back. Lee Cooper has produced this extraordinary horn in commemoration of Nicholas Cresswell and included a photocopy of Cresswells journal of his trading adventure. This...

2018 Fundraising

Powder Horn by Ron Hess

This great smaller sized set is constructed around a six and half inch wide and seven inch deep bag using leather repurposed from a boot. Ron Hess owned this bag but it was made by fellow CLA artist Ken Scott. Ron decided to make a Tansel style horn to fit the bag. And fortunately for us he decided to donate the end product to the CLA Auction. This is a very successful pairing. The great molding, scrimshaw and subtle color...

2018 Fundraising

Hunting Pouch and Horn by Lawrence Fiorillo & Todd Hambrick

This Eighteenth century style pouch and horn are in the homespun frontier style. The oak tanned cowhide bag measures ten and a half inches long and 5 and a half inches deep. It has a simple domed metal button closure and an internal pocket. The waxed hemp strap is wide and should make a comfortable carry. This horn is perfect for this bag. It has charming folk art animal figures and a sturdy construction. There is also a powder measure,...

2018 Fundraising

Fraktur Distlefinks by Sandy Greco

The CLF is proud to present for auction this framed 7 1/2 inch by 21 1/2 inch Fraktur style artwork from CLA artist D Sandy Greco. The term Fraktur describes a form of calligraphy or a font type, but has been extended the colorful floral and figurative drawings and paintings that started as illumination for birth and baptismal certificates and evolved to stand alone illustrations. The Pennsylvania German community developed Fraktur as an art form with some of the earliest...

2018 Fundraising

Iron Mounted Rifle by Heinz Ahlers, Frank House, Jim Kibler, & Ian Pratt

The Woodbury Whitson Rifle is a result of a collaboration between Jim Kibler, Heinz Ahlers, Ian Pratt and Frank House. Jim Kibler donated one of his fine Iron Mounted Southern rifle kits to the CLA for this years auction. Heinz handled the assembly of the kit and fabricated the additional metal parts. Ian Pratt was the design consultant, historian, and trigger smith. Frank House handled the finishing work including the final styling on the rifle. This rifle went start to...

2018 Fundraising

Haversack by Bill Smith

This year the CLA Live Auction is offering one of Bill Smiths popular haversacks. This leather and herringbone weave hemp cloth version of Bills haversack is particularly attractive. The haversack is approximately eleven inches by eleven inches. The leather flap is a very dark brown as is the one and a half inch wide leather strap. The bag is fully lined in duck cloth with two accessory pockets on the inside. The Hemp cloth is almost black and the herringbone...

2018 Fundraising

Quilled Horn Strap by Djuana Tucker

The quillwork design on this powder horn strap is based on 18th century Eastern Woodland/Great Lakes style porcupine quill embroidery. The quills are naturally dyed with indigo, Osage orange, and madder, and they are sewn onto the strap using the zigzag and outline techniques. The strap is 36" long and 1 1/2" wide. The leather is smoked, braintanned, and walnut dyed by Andy Ruffner. The strap is lined with linen and has leather reinforced ends, with two 12" leather...

2018 Fundraising

Otter Bag by Frank Chambers

The Otter skin pouch is traditional Native American accoutrement. Franklin Chambers has created a particularly fine example for this years auction. James Adair made the following observation relating to Native American hunting pouches: "all the savages sit cross-legged, so my visitors did, and held their guns on their knee, or kept them very near, with their otter-skin shot pouch over one of their shoulders. This nicely tanned otter pouch has the open top construction popular with the Southern Nations. A...

2018 Fundraising

Knife by Glen Mock with Sheath by Heinz Ahlers

Glen Mock forged this fine knife, a stylish 6 inch bladed belt knife with a coin silver pummel cap setting off the antler handle. This blade has an interesting long choil. Glens forged blades are well known for their ruggedness and edge holding. This blade and handle have an interesting architecture and the knife is extremely comfortable in the hand. This will make a great camp knife and skinner. Heinz Ahlers has contributed a simple belt sheath from vegetable tanned...

2018 Fundraising

Charlie Wallingford with Quilled Sheath by Bill Wright

For the tribes of the northeast woodlands, no item in the warriors kit was as essential as a good blade, which very often took the form of the traditional neck knife. French Capt. Pierre Pouchot, who closely observed the natives during the French and Indian War, noted that Indian warriors wouldnt venture anywhere without one. Their knife is hung from a sheath from the neck, and falls upon the breast, wrote Pouchot, and they regard this property as sacred...

2018 Fundraising

Hunting Set by Tim Crosby & Marc Hamel

This Virginia style horn and strap is by Tim Crosby. The horn features a screw tip and an antler collar with a horn tip. There is also a turned antler finial on the butt cap. The Tim Crosby patch knife has a turned antler handle and a bolster from a recycled pipe axe bowl. Tim also created the accouterments; a turned pewter powder measure with a turned wooden tip, a horse hair brush, and a work hardened copper vent...

2018 Fundraising

Wall Plaque by Joshua Shepherd

Independentruggedself-reliant. Few images in our nations history are as enduring as that of the quintessential American frontiersman. For this years CLF fundraising auction, artist Joshua Shepherd has created a unique sculpture Taking Aim - that pays fitting homage to the legendary longhunters who helped carve a nation out of a forbidding wilderness. Directly modelled in sculptors epoxy, the frontiersman sports an iconic hunters frock, broad-brimmed hat, powder horn, antler handled long knife, and, of course, flintlock rifle. Measuring approximately...

2018 Fundraising

Hunting Bag by Gary Tingler

Gary Tingler has furnished an exceptionally nice hunting bag for this years auction. The soft leather bag is tightly sewn and features a darker welt. The design of this bag is notable. It has a taper from the eight and a half inch bottom to the five and a half inch top. The ample flap fits very closely at the top opening. There are two extra pockets, one under the flap with a separate flap and button closure of...

2018 Fundraising

Folding Knife by Scot Summerville, Engraved by Chuck Edwards

The folding knife is one of the most useful forms of cutlery. It fits nicely in a pouch or pocket and is handy to have when you are in more formal dress. A folding knife is often thought of as a requirement fo the gentleman. And do we ever have a gentlemans knife for this years auction. Two excellent CLA artisans, Chuck Edwards and Scott Summerville have teamed up to produce an extraordinary folding knife this year. Both artists are...

2018 Fundraising

Hunting Bag and Horn by Jack Weeks, Kenny Nichols, Paula Hoagland, & Rick Lorenzen

I hand stitched the 8x8 inch D- shaped bag of bark tanned deer hide with waxed linen thread. It has a 3x2 ball pocket and a 4x8 inch partition at the inside back. Paula Hoagland ( Indiana) provided the hand woven wool and linen strap. Rick Lorenzen (Michigan) contributed the 13 inch scrimshawed horn with a rattlesnake theme. The late Kenny Nichols (Alabama) made the 4inch, 70 grain rattlesnake powder measure. Matt Hunt (Virginia) prepared the bark tan for...

2018 Fundraising

Priming Horn by Ken Stanley

Ken Stanley has created this great priming horn for the auction. This is a nice flat horn approximately 6 inches overall. A very appealing horn in a useful size and shape for the pouch: it will also make a fine day horn for a squirrel rifle. This flat horn with great color fits well in the hand and shows the care the artist put into this auction creation. The scrimshaw work on this horn is very well done. Additional touches...

2018 Fundraising

Warrior’s Clutch

For this years CLF fundraising auction, a cadre of some of the most respected artists in the muzzleloading community has teamed up to create a truly remarkable collection christened A Warrior's Clutch. The goal for the craftsmen, explains artist Ian Pratt, was to create a vibrant, visually striking set of items that reflect the possessions carried by a warrior in the mid-18th century. Although we imagine a general Great Lakes region as our warrior's home, his identity remains unknown. The...

2018 Fundraising

Knife by Kyle Willyard with Sheath by Lally House

Lally House and Kyle Willyard have collaborated to make a special project for this years CLA Auction. This knife and quilled sheath showcase the first quality work of two top artisans. The neck sheath is a preferred Native American method for carrying the knife, it is safe to assume this useful method would have carried over to the frontier as it is both useful and attractive. The hand forged knife by Kyle features traditional styling with an integral forged bolster,...

2018 Fundraising

Priming Horn by Joe-D Baxter & Mike Miller

Priming horns can be a topic of some discussion about their presumed use or non-use on the American frontier. Nevertheless priming flasks did exist in Europe and Asia and are found in museum collections for 16th to 18th century arms. Sometimes called Pulvers from the German word for ground or powdered, these small flasks seem to have been used with matchlocks, wheellocks and cannon. Have you ever thought about what a paper cartridge equipped musketeer did when his firelock...

2018 Fundraising

Hunting Set by Tom Greco

This hunting set consists of a banded screw tip horn with leather strap, a leather pouch with decorative welt, a flint wallet, lathe turned cleaning tools, an antler measure, pan brush and vent pick. This entire set exhibits close attentional to detail and the pride in workmanship that mark all Tom Greco products. The horn is medium sized with a nice warm color with two white bands. The bands have fine molding lines. The turned antler screw tip shows excellent...

2018 Fundraising