Celestial Moon & Stars Powder Horn. Eyewitness 1866 Massive Leonids Meteor Storm
Specifications
| Return Shipping Will Be Paid By | Buyer |
| All Returns Accepted | Returns Accepted |
| Item Must Be Returned Within | 14 Days |
| Refund Will Be Given As | Money Back |
| Time Period Manufactured | Pre-1930 |
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE This hand-crafted powder horn dates to the 19th century and about measures 7.5” long and 2” wide at base, and weighs 5.2 oz. It has a metal spout that is covered with the original, hollow, wood cap that is beautifully carved like the plug on the other end. The powder horn is made of hand-carved wood plugs fitted on both ends of the steer horn base with period-correct, iron nails. On the front of the black-powder powder horn, there is a cast bronze Moon with two stars above and below it. The top star has lines to the left of it that depict the meteor’s movement through the dark sky in November 1866. On the back of the power horn, there is a hand-written note by the nephew of “Uncle Nick” the man who witnessed the November 1866 Leonids Meteor storm and made this unique powder horn for his nephew. {See details below.} Provenance/History: This powder horn came from private collections in Ohio and then California. It is in my private collection at this time. DETAILS: The small size of this powder horn suggests it was used to load a percussion pistol or rifle with 4F black powder. The powder horn is empty, but still retains the faint smell of black powder. This antique, black power priming horn is about 7.5 inches long and has a solid, domed, wood plug for a base—a style that was used in the Southern colonies/states and naval powder horns during the colonial period. This power horn has a superb, natural patina and is Guaranteed to be over 200 years old! Both the tip of the horn and the domed, wooden plug end are both hand-carved! Note: The “X” signifies the size of the power granules, with four “XXXX” or “4F” being the smallest grains of power that were used for priming the flash pans of flintlocks and the main charges of pistols. This hand-made powder horn documents a massive meteor shower that took place in November 1866. It is beautifully inset with bronze images of stars and the “Man in the Moon” who is shown with eyes, nose, and smiling mouth. But what is most amazing is the hand-written note from the nephew of the man who made this powder horn some years later. It states: “Uncle “Nick’ said in the cold fall of 1866 The whole sky lit up with shooting stars. He decorated this powder horn For me some years later cause he knows I like the sky studies.” The Leonid Meteor Shower and Meteors It is the parent body of the Leonid meteor shower. In 1699, it was observed by Gottfried Kirch, but was not recognized as a periodic comet until the discoveries by Tempel and Tuttle during the 1866 perihelion, when the meteors passed by nearest the Earth. It is the parent body of the Leonid meteor shower. In 1699, it was observed by Gottfried Kirch, but was not recognized as a periodic comet until the discoveries by Tempel and Tuttle during the 1866 perihelion, when thousands of meteors passed by per hour as the comet was nearest the Earth and they burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. The Leonids also produce meteor storms (very large outbursts) about every 33 years, during which activity exceeds 1,000 meteors per hour, with some events exceeding 100,000 meteors per hour, in contrast to the sporadic background (5 to 8 meteors per hour) and the shower background (several meteors per hour). Earth moves through the meteoroid stream of particles left from the passages of a comet. The stream comprises solid particles, known as meteoroids, ejected by the comet as its frozen gases evaporate under the heat of the Sun when it is close enough – typically closer than Jupiter's orbit. The Leonids (/ˈliːənɪdz/ LEE-ə-nidz) are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Tempel–Tuttle, which are also known for their spectacular meteor storms that occur about every 33 years. The Leonids get their name from the location of their radiant in the constellation Leo: the meteors appear to radiate from that point in the sky. The Leonids are a fast moving stream which encounter the path of Earth and impact at 72 km/s. Larger Leonids which are about 10 mm across have a mass of half a gram and are known for generating bright (apparent magnitude −1.5) meteors. An annual Leonid shower may deposit 12 or 13 tons of particles across the entire planet. Post Civil War Era Black Powder Priming Horn A powder horn was a device used to carry gunpowder and was generally created from a cow or buffalo horn. They were most commonly used with eighteenth century muskets, but were rendered obsolete by the development of breech-loading firearms introduced during the Civil War. The use of animal horn along with nonferrous metal parts ensured that the powder would not be detonated by sparks during storage and loading. Horn was also naturally waterproof and already hollow inside. Many examples shed light on the life and history of the individuals that used them, and can be classified as a unique medium of Folk Art. This small powder horn would have been filled with fine (4F grade) black powder that was highly flammable and would have “primed” the “pan” or pistol barrel that held the fine black powder. Once the trigger was pulled on the percussion rifle or pistol, the hammer would strike the explosive cap and the sparks would ignite the fine black powder in the barrel. This main charge then explodes, and the hot gases propel the bullet out of the barrel. It was hand-crafted, carved, and inset with bronze images of a star, meteor, and the Moon by the original owner in either the mid 19th Century (1866-1870). It is a wonderful piece of Americana craftsmanship and is still in excellent condition. Please look at the Macro Photos carefully, because they are part of the description and bid accordingly. Thank You for Looking! Please look at my other auctions as I have other antique treasures from my personal collection of 50 years on Sale! I have a perfect 100% positive Feedback Score on e-Bay and I want to make sure you are happy with your purchase. Payment and Shipping Details: Please pay via PayPal ASAP and I will ship out your item in one business day. Thank You! FREE SHIPPING includes INSURANCE in the USA!!