CLA 2019

Here is a list of items at the CLA auction taking place August 16th at 5:00 P.M. in the Grand Ball Room of the Lexington Convention Center, 400 Vine Street, Lexington, Ky. After examining an item use the back button to return to the list. Read More »

Lobed horn and hunting bag by Tim Crosby and Marc Hamel Tim Crosby and Marc Hamel teamed up to create a superb colonial era bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The architecture of Hamel’s cowhide hunting bag is inspired by an eighteenth century engraving that depicts a rifleman wearing a similar bag. The bag is made from 2-3 ounce cowhide, tooled and dyed by Hamel. The main flap ... Read More »

Classic patch knife by Verlin Cossel Every blackpowder shooter needs a dependable patch knife in his kit, and this year’s CLF fundraising auction will afford attendees the opportunity to own a truly fine example by knifemaker Verlin Cossel. Cossel’s patch knife is an evocative classic that conjures images of the early American frontier. Starting with reclaimed steel from an antique hay rake tine, Cossel handcrafted the blade at the coal forge in ... Read More »

.54 Caliber Gentleman’s Pistol by Ken Stanley and Chuck Edwards Few weapons capture the artistic grandeur of the flintlock era quite like a refined gentleman’s pistol, and this year the CLF is pleased to present a truly stunning example by gunsmiths Ken Stanley and Chuck Edwards. Inspired by a pistol originally created by Pennsylvania’s legendary Kuntz family of gunsmiths, Stanley created this exquisite handgun around a .54 caliber, 10 3/4”, rifled barrel, ... Read More »

Early American hanging shelf by Patrick Thevenow While most blackpowder enthusiasts are outdoorsmen by nature, even the most die-hard frontiersman enjoys the comforts of home. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, artist Patrick Thevenow has donated a fine piece of reproduction home décor that’s sure to tastefully complement a wide range of design schemes. Thevenow’s hanging wall shelf is inspired by an original set of built-in cupboards constructed by an Indiana cabinetmaker ... Read More »

Ozarks Trekker by Marty Overstreet, Joel Coash, O.J. Stone, and Paul Fennewald A truly unique offering in this year’s CLF fundraising auction, the Ozarks Trekker set is the collaborative creation of four Missouri artists and constitutes a superb decorative display for the home. This collection pays homage to Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, who explored the Ozarks over the winter of 1819 and later published an account of his journey. O.J. Stone hand forged ... Read More »

1760’s Hunting Rig  by Jack Weeks, Rick Lorenzen and John Leach   Jack Weeks and Rick Lorenzen have partnered once again and the result is a bold bag and horn set. They are both artists and craftsmen who continuously research early American history and the evolution of hunting accoutrements. This is the fourth year the guys have been collaborating using 18th century materials and techniques. They want this handsome rig to be ... Read More »

Hand-forged hearth cooking set by Greg Bray     For many early American history enthusiasts, living with a tangible connection to the past can be a way of life. This year’s CLF fundraising auction will feature a delightful set of cooking utensils that will be equally at home around a campfire or in a 21st century kitchen. Blacksmith and CLA member Greg Bray has crafted a full set of hand-forged cooking implements ... Read More »

Possibles bag by Gary Tingler            Faithful CLA supporter and skilled craftsman Gary Tingler has created another outstanding hunting bag for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. This piece is a gracefully proportioned possibles bag entirely hand-crafted from hard-wearing buffalo leather, with edges bound in deerskin. The bag, graced with a rich brown patina, has a handy inner pocket, and comes complete with a pewter-capped pick and brush set handmade by Tingler. The bag, ... Read More »

Antler handled frontier knife by Glen Mock Modern outdoorsmen are in perpetual need of a reliable knife, and collectors can do no better than a blade by prominent knifemaker Glen Mock. A renowned bladesmith and faithful supporter of the CLF fundraising auction, Mock donated a classic frontiersman’s knife to this year’s event. Mock’s blade was painstakingly hand forged from 1084 steel and fitted to a traditional antler handle. The handle is decorated ... Read More »

Polled Tomahawk and Sheath by Simeon England, Kyle Willyard, and Shelly Gier A collaborative effort by Simeon England, Kyle Willyard, and Shelly Gier, this tomahawk is heavily based on England’s research into early belt axes, referred to as “polled tomahawks” in the period, carried by backcountry frontiersmen. Though a bit more refined than what would commonly be seen on the frontier, the engraving and level of finish are similar to many existing ... Read More »

Double Beaver Hunting Bag by Bill Smith “The hunting pouch,” explains Kentucky artist Bill Smith, “is an icon of the American frontier used in the 18th and 19th centuries.” But the modern frontiersman remains in need of a reliable bag for the woods or the range, and for this year’s CLF fundraising auction Smith has once again donated one of his renowned hunting bags. Smith’s bags are widely regarded for their robust ... Read More »

1760’s Great Lakes Knife and Sheath Set by Ben HoffmanFor this year’s CLF fundraising auction, Ohio artisan Ben Hoffman chose to reproduce an original piece made in the Great Lakes region that dates from the 1760’s. True to artist’s exacting standards, both the knife and sheath was entirely hand-crafted. Hoffman salvaged the steel for the knife blade from an antique buggy spring, which was then hand-forged using a vintage hand-crank-powered coal forge. ... Read More »

Saga of the Longknife One of the keystone offerings of this year’s CLF fundraising auction is the collective creation of eight CLA member artists. Christened the Saga of the Longknife by its creators, this piece constitutes a stunning, mixed media sculptural set composed of superbly executed, functional art. The entire set is created around a folk-art carving by artist Matt Fennewald, who used a mix of woods – including pecan, walnut, and ... Read More »

Classic beaver tail hunting bag by Doug Warren One of the most vital pieces of equipment for blackpowder shooters is a rig consisting of a watertight horn and a dependable possibles bag, and this year’s CLA auction will afford bidders the opportunity to own a truly exemplary set by artist Doug Warren. Warren’s bag is a fine collector’s piece that will be perfectly at home in a display case or in the ... Read More »

Quilled hatband by Djuana Tucker During the 18th and 19th centuries, no self-respecting gentleman – or scoundrel, for that matter – would consider venturing into public without a hat.  For the modern-day frontiersman headed for the range, the rendezvous, or the woods, that hasn’t changed. For those hoping to set their headgear apart from the crowd, CLA artist Djuana Tucker has donated a unique quill wrapped rawhide hatband to this year’s fund-raising ... Read More »

Calfskin hunting bag by Chris Crosby Chris Crosby’s fine contribution to this year’s CLF auction represents, he explains, “a piece that would have been carried by a man of middling means, to service his smooth rifle or fowler.” The body of the bag is made from vegetable tanned calfskin and the bindings on the flap and at the throat of the bellows panel are bark tanned sheepskin. The bag’s rich coloring was ... Read More »

Frontier Georgia bag and horn set by Ron Hess and Marc Hamel CLA members are very often inspired by history in the creation of their art. A 2018 exhibition at the Georgia Museum of Art, which focused on the state’s early gunsmiths, prompted Georgia artist Ron Hess to create this fine bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The oldest firearm at the exhibition was an 1815 rifle attributed ... Read More »

Neck knife and quilled sheath by Virgil Henle and Christie Suchora During the Seven Year’s War, French military engineer Pierre Pouchot was intrigued by Native American warriors who habitually wore remarkably decorated knife sheaths as a badge of status. The Indians “always have one suspended round their neck,” explained Pouchot. “Their knife is hung from the neck,” he wrote, “and falls upon the breast…they regard this property as sacred as their children.” ... Read More »

Bag and horn set by Tom Greco   Artisan Tom Greco is well known as a maker of distinctive, top-quality frontier art. Not surprisingly, he’s contributed a standout bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The body of Greco’s unique possibles bag is crafted from goat hide, which is richly colored with a brown leather dye and a sealing coat of grease. The warm color of the bag contrasts ... Read More »

Bag and horn set by Brian Barker The annual CLF fundraising auction routinely offers the finest in contemporary frontier art, but Brian Barker’s striking contribution to this year’s auction has the looks of a centuries-old original. Barker crafted the hunting bag from bark tanned deer hide, warmly aged and hand sewn with linen thread. The interior of the bag is lined with linen fabric, and appears to have been “repaired” with a ... Read More »

Neck knife and quilled sheath by Charles Wallingford and Bill Wright Few pieces of tribal artistry are as visually captivating as the iconic neck knife of the eastern woodlands. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, two of the nation’s top artists have teamed up to produce a truly outstanding example that’s destined to become a treasured heirloom. Master cutler and CLA charter member Charles Wallingford hand-forged this knife from 1084 bar stock. ... Read More »

Eighteenth Century folding knife by Scott Summerville In November of 1766, the English firm of Robert Cary & Company issued an invoice for miscellaneous goods to an up-and-coming Virginia planter who was largely tethered to the mother country for the manufactured goods necessary on his plantation. For various items including silk, nails, buttons, and cheese, George Washington was billed the respectable sum of £161. Included in the shipment was one item clearly ... Read More »