Mirror in plug of old powder horn?

[bioprof]

I saw an antique powder horn in an antique shop today. Looked really neat but I didn't have the cash to buy it. Anyway, it had a nicely turned end cap with a round mirror inlayed into the end of the end cap. What is the purpose of the mirror? In case you get lost? War paint? I'll try to post pictures tomorrow. It also had a neat powder measure tied to it.

 

[hornbuilder]

bioprof:{>
that was pretty mean to tell us about the horn and no pictures to go with it :cry: could you at least tell me how much they wanted for it ?? can i have first dibs if your not interested :kid:
i've asked the same question of professional horn builders and none have had an answer for why the mirror. your guess is as good as any.

 

[3 stinky dogs]

Maby the owner just thaught it would be cool ? Dident the Indeains like mirror's? maby it was a trade item or somthing.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Signaling, shaving (ever tried to carry a mirror anywhere else in your kit?), sweeping an Indian village without directly exposing yourself to fire (you can peek around a corner with a mirror :. Detecting vampires.

 

[bioprof]

I'll try to get some pictures of it tomorrow. They were asking $150 for it. I don't know hardly anything about powder horns, but it seemed a little high to me. I would guess that it was a very early (antique) commercially made horn, but that's only my uneducated guess. There was no scrimshaw or markings on it. I live in SD, but I don't know where it came from.

 

[musketman]

Dident the Indeains like mirror's? maby it was a trade item or somthing.

Yes, the "looking glass" was a big trade item, the owner could have been so vain he probably thinks this post is about him...

 

[bioprof]

:haha: :crackup: :: :crackup:

 

[Okwaho]

I don't recall seeing any with mirrors inlet into the butt but in his book,"Engraved Powder Horns" Nathan L. Swayze shows two "minuteman horns" with glass inlet in the butt and a message, such as you would normally see carved, under glass inlet into the butt.
Tom Patton

 

[musketman]

And what if you broke it?

Would you have 7 years of bad loads? :hmm:

 

[scott k]

[quote the owner could have been so vain he probably thinks this post is about him... [/quote] :crackup:
Sounds like a neat horn. $150 doesn't sound bad, I saw horns priced at $350 and more at the Dixon gun fair and they where new.
Lehigh..

 

[Wart]

Interesting post - thinking about a mirror in a horn makes one wonder if it was used to signal ? On the other hand, it could also give ones location away with the reflection ? :hmm:

 

Well , since everyone else is guessing , I'll throw in mine . Maybe the mirror was used to reflect sunlight into the bore of a gun , for inspecting it . :m2c: :results:

 

[bob1961]

the owner could have been so vain he probably thinks this post is about him...

ok carly simon :crackup:....good song though:thumbsup:................bob

 

[bioprof]

I found a picture of a powder horn in Sibley's book at the top of page 55 that looks very similar to the one that I saw yesterday. They refer to it as an original factory powder horn from the early 19th century.

 

[bioprof]

Well, I bit the bullet and went ahead and bought the powderhorn. The more I look at it, the more I become attached to it. The dealer bought it in Chamberlain, SD. Here's some pictures:

 

[musketman]

The mirror is inlayed very nice, can't say I like the wood screw that is holding the rear strap, but that could easily be replaced or filled in...

Powder horns were an art form, that is why you see so many designs and variants, this is far from the norm and makes it unique... :thumbsup:

 

[Erzulis boat]

I have some old powderflasks that were really used, and they all have a fine, very hard sooty powder residue. It is quite consistent in film thickness.

Could the glass in the ******** originally have been clear? Old powder residue might have induced it to become a "mirror".

Just taking a stab in the dark here.

:hmm:

 

[musketman]

Could the glass in the ******** originally have been clear? Old powder residue might have induced it to become a "mirror".

That would be a handy window to check the powder level...

Over time the powder would have stained the rear face of the glass giving it mirror qualities, I can believe this...

 

[bioprof]

I thought the same thing about the powder coating the glass, but this doesn't appear to be the case as the reflecting surface is too good and even for this to be the case. I also don't think there is anything chemically in black powder that would do this. There would have to be silver or some other metal salt in the powder to produce a mirror surface. The carbon, sulfur, and saltpeter might blacken a surface, but I don't think it would produce a mirror-like surface. Good idea though.

Upon comparison with Sibley's new book, it appears to be almost identical to the trade horn in the picture on page 55. You can't tell from that picture if there was a mirror in the plug, but the plug is identical in all other respects.

 

[flintlockmdj]

See the book of buckskinning #1 something about this rings a bell.