Southern Banded Horns

[jon math]

Were the tips and bands on these horns always bone or antler material or was wood sometimes used too? I’m sure the hollow bee hive end caps added a few ounces of capacity to the horn, and if the tip was a screw off variety it made filling easier but were the rest of the features just decorative?


I just purchased a lathe and want to take a shot at making this style of horn and have been looking at various examples including some that appear to have the bands made of the same wood as the plug end, but it might just be aging that has discolored the band too. I have a couple of books on their way in too, I just jumping the gun asking.

 

[Elnathan]

I believe that there are a small number that had wooden tips, but I'm not very familiar with the details of this kind of horn.

The bands themselves may have had a function by providing a wear strip between the main body and whatever it was resting against while in use. That would extend the useful life of the horn somewhat.

The earliest banded horn I know of, dated 1774, has a single band right at mid-point, that lends a bit of weight to that hypothesis.

I suspect that they were mostly decoration, though, for most of the time they were used.

 

[BillinOregon]

Jon, do yourself a favor and order Scott and Cathy Sibley's "Building the Southern Banded Horn." It is a wonderful resource.

 

[jon math]

That's one that I have ordered. Looks like a great reference for sure.