Sometimes when you have something really nice, you want to have it in a case that you can open when you want to display it, and close when you want to be a bit more discreet, Also you might prefer not to shove your antique Nicholas-Noel Boutet French officer’s pistol into a cigar box. Jerry Moniot hand made this finely crafted chest he refers to as a pistol case. I mentioned ... Read More »
CLA artists consistently demonstrate the ability to marry museum-quality aesthetics with rugged practicality. Artist Jack Weeks and a cadre of talented craftsmen have collaborated to produce a truly outstanding bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The project is the brainchild of noted CLA artisan Jack Weeks. The basic concept, he explains, was to assemble “the equipment a market hunter in the three rivers area would have carried to ... Read More »
The pre revolutionary frontier, west of the great wagon road was an exciting place, from the Allegheny River country down through western Virginia and the Carolinas. The Frontiersman were learning their trade and the skills that would take them across the continent. One of their primary tools was the American longrifle and one of the cradles of longrifle development was Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Josh Wrightsman and Gary Tingler have created an early frontier ... Read More »
Few items in a modern longhunter’s kit are as important as a comfortable possibles bag. Buyers on today’s market can find few bags as well made, aesthetically pleasing, or long lasting than those crafted by Kentucky artist Bill Smith. Smith produces a custom-made bag for the CLA auction each year, and this year’s exceptional offering is sure to please prospective bidders. Smith describes the bag as a small haversack or messenger’s bag, ... Read More »
This great Andrew Knez painting was scheduled to be auctioned last year. That did not happen. Your auction Chairman was a bit remiss in the logistics also Andrew unfortunately was involved in a serious automobile accident on his way to the auction. We deferred the auction of the painting off to this year. We are happy to say Andrew has recovered nicely and should be at the auction this year. We have ... Read More »
Young people on the frontier went about armed from an early age. In “Thoughts on Kentucky Rifle in the Golden Age” Joe Kindig Jr. shows a 30 inch barreled youth’s rifle he attributes to Wolfgang Haga. This is an early gun with a brass box and raised carving. Kindig also notes that he owned another boys rifle by Fredrick Zorger dated 1805 that was engraved and had a patchbox. Nathan Boone related ... Read More »
The successful colonial farmer, wealthy merchant or Virginia aristocrat, wanted his equipment to send a message about his social status. A fine rifle or fowling piece would be accompanied by fine shooting bag and horn. By the beginning of the French and Indian war rococo decoration and dark leather were very much in style. Tom and Sandy Greco, repeat auction supporters, have created this refined and historically appropriate hunting set for this ... Read More »
For General George Washington, the mundane duties of supply and logistics would come to be as important as strategy and tactics. Washington, who cut his teeth on the western frontier during the French and Indian War, was keenly aware that appropriate clothing was crucial to the fighting trim of his men. When the cash-strapped Continental Congress decided in 1775 to supply the army with linen hunting shirts, Washington was concerned that the ... Read More »
The Pennsylvania style hunting bag can be more complex than the styles encountered on the frontier in the Southern Highlands. Eastern Pennsylvania was more settled and specialized craftsman such as cordwainers, bootmakers and tanners were available. An active commerce in trade and cash existed east of Fort Cumberland in the mid 18th century. Although homemade bags were in common use, bags with linings and a bit more style are often encountered, This ... Read More »
Ed Fish is donating a copy of a very important rifle currently owned by Brian LaMaster. The rifle bears an inscription on the patchbox, N D Boone, Kaintuck done in a primitive style. Based on this inscription and extensive research Brian believes the original rifle may have been owned by Nathan Boone, and that it was built by Daniel Boone and William Arbuckle around 1790. The rifle could have been used by ... Read More »
Among the tribes of the eastern woodlands, few symbols could be as potent as the ball headed war club. Missionary John Heckewelder, who spent a lifetime on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Ohio, explained that “When the Indians have determined to take revenge” they would leave a carved war club at the site of an ambush. It was a stark tribal message that many Europeans failed to grasp, but which native warriors ... Read More »
CLA Auction item – Sculpture by Bruce Meurer For any craftsperson, the successful marriage of three-dimensional and two-dimensional disciplines is one of the most difficult hurdles of the creative arts. Buyers at this year’s CLA fundraising auction will have the chance to own a unique sculpture by master carver Bruce Meurer that skillfully accomplishes the feat. Meurer executed the piece in basswood, a tight-grained medium favored by professional woodcarvers. Measuring 11” high, ... Read More »
CLA Auction Item – Belt Knife by Mike Davis Mike Davis has produced a fine Woodbury style belt knife for this years action. Mike is a repeat donor, having donated an iron mounted rifle last year that sold very well. This year Mike has turned out a 6 inch bladed knife in a classic frontier pattern. The whitetail antler handle with a poured pewter bolster shows Mike’s association with House brothers school ... Read More »
CLA – Auction item Longhunter’s Knife and Sheath by Heinz Ahlers I have always liked the longknife style. The design choices for a longknife vary from a heavy bladed, thick handled, fighting knife with a cross guard to a thin bladed utilitarian butcher knife style. I believe a longhunter preferred to carry tools that could meet multiple challenges. This longknife seeks to combine everyday utility with a potential for combat. The 9 ... Read More »
CLA Auction item: In September of 1736, nineteen chiefs from the Six Nations – the Iroquois Confederacy – arrived at Philadelphia to strengthen the “covenant chain”, or traditional alliance, with British officials in Pennsylvania. When Kanickhungo, the chieftan who spoke on behalf of the Seneca tribe, rose to speak, he expressed “Satisfaction in the friendly and good Disposition of you our Brethren, towards all the Indians of the Six Nations.” As a ... Read More »
The Contemporary Longrifle Association is proud to announce the 2017 Fund Raising Live Auction will be held on Friday, August 18, 2017 in the Grand Ball Room at the Lexington Convention Center in Lexington Ken-tucky. If you cannot attend or are not a member of the CLA there is an ab-sentee bidding process. Contact the CLA for details. More information will be available soon on the to the CLA website at longri-fle.com ... Read More »
Once again the Contemporary Longrifle Foundation is presenting a great auction of outstanding items at the The Contemporary Longrifle Association Fund Raising Live Auction. The auction will be held on Friday, August 18, 2017 in the Grand Ball Room at the Lexington Convention Center in Lexington Kentucky. If you cannot attend or are not a member of the CLA there is an absentee bidding process. Contact the CLA for details. This is ... Read More »
Once again the Contemporary Longrifle Foundation is presenting a great auction of out-standing items at the The Contemporary Longrifle Association Fund Raising Live Auction. The auction will be held on Friday, August 18, 2017 in the Grand Ball Room at the Lexington Con-vention Center in Lexington Kentucky. If you cannot attend or are not a member of the CLA there is an absentee bidding process. Contact the CLA for details. This is ... Read More »
Scott Summerville makes great knives and razors. He is a staunch supporter of the CLF Auc-tion and has again given us a great folding knife. This is a classic bone handled knife with a 3 1/2 inch blade. Scott hand builds these knives, hand shapes them and heat treats them to per-fection. This knife is a common pattern found around various British posts and encampments from the 1750s through the 1800s. Scott ... Read More »
CLA Auction Item THE JOHN FRASER PROJECT by: Gary Tucker, Eddie Rector, Ron Vail, Ken Scott , Heather McClure and J Casey McClure For the upcoming Contemporary Longrifle Foundation Fund Raising Auction to be held at the Annual Meeting in August, CLA members Gary Tucker, Eddie Rector, Ron Vail, Ken Scott , Heather and J Casey McClure have recreated a collection of artifacts based on early frontiersman and trader John Fraser’s life ... Read More »
An Iconic Southern Pistol in the Style of Elisha Bull by Mike MillerThere are some antique flintlock arms that seem to epitomize a genre or “school” as well as capture the personality of the maker and the time and place in which it was created and used. The fine silver mounted “Death or Victory” pistol by Elisha Bull of Tennessee is just such a piece. Well known riflesmith Mike Miller of ... Read More »
Southern Mountain Rifle by Marc TornichioThis early iron mounted Southern longrifle was created by Marc Tornichio. This rifle is not a copy of any one rifle but incorporates the architecture and features of several early iron mounted rifles of the western Virginia/Carolina Appalachian area from the 1790 to 1810 period. It shows the quality workmanship of a trained and talented gunsmith from 200 years ago or today. Marc says, “The rifle ... Read More »
Southern Banded Horn with Hand Woven Strap by Ron Hess and Kris PolizziThis is a Southern style banded horn of the type that would have been carried by militia or volunteers from the southern States in the War of 1812. This charming powder horn has been created by Ron Hess and the fine hand woven strap donated by Kris Polizzi.Ron lives in Georgia and makes powder horns and other items constructed ... Read More »
CLA artists Donald and Tina Shaver handcrafted this circa 1810 to 1825 hunting pouch and horn set for the 2014 CLA fundraising auction. The pouch is a classic beaver tail pouch with a carved buffalo powder horn. Donald Shaver’s interest in American History began during his youth and he started reenacting about 30 years ago through the Boy Scouts. His first period of interpretation was the Rocky Mountain fur trade era of ... Read More »
Rich and Jeanne McDonald are well known CLA Artists. Rich and Jeanne have been married over 29 years and live on a small farm in southern Ohio. They are part of the southern Ohio contingent contributing to this auction including Joe Seabolt and Maryellen Pratt.Rich bought his first muzzleloader at the age of 12 and has been hooked ever since. Rich started forging knives and and tomahawks in 1990 and now ... Read More »
The hunting pouch is an icon of the American frontier. By the early 19th century pouches could show distinct regional variations, wide ranges in quality from home made to finest cordwainers work, and variations in size and shape based on use. This years auction presents a stunning range of bags and accoutrements.Bill Smith has donated a double bag of finely tanned deer skin with double internal compartments. Bill has been making bags ... Read More »
By 1814 even in the far west of the Illinois country the frontier was changing. Even so, many blood feuds kindled by earlier mutual antagonisms between the Red and White neighbors still smoldered. Born in just such a place during just such a time, Colonel John Moredock, the celebrated Indian Hater, first sought revenge against the Indians responsible for massacring his mother and stepfather and kidnapping his siblings, but he didn’t stop ... Read More »
Native American Style Bag by Robert PawlingRobert Pawling is a CLA artisan specializing in dyed porcupine quill embroidery of many kinds done on braintanned deerskins to produce 18th C. Northeast Native accoutrements.Bob has extended his style a bit in keeping with this years auction theme of westward expansion. Bob has produced a bag like the indians of the western plains and mountains were producing in the period of early contact. This bag ... Read More »
Roger Sells is a well known contemporary builder and is a regular at the Southern rifle events at Lake Cumberland and the the Museum of Appalachia. He is noted for extremely well made iron mounted mounted Appalachian rifles and some great Hawken rifles. Roger lives in an area of Tennessee where gunsmiths lived and worked in the the 1800 to early 1900 time frame. Roger notes he was exposed to iron ... Read More »
Josh Shepherd created this piece entitled “The Frontiersman”. It is 21” tall and made of hydrostone with a hand-applied finish. It’s a limited edition of 50. This is number 14 (In honor of 1814) and in keeping with the theme of the auction. The round hat, rifle, and hunting shirt are characteristic of the working frontier, and the detail on the horn, bag , and belt are remarkable. “The Frontiersman” is a well done ... Read More »
BlackPowderMag.com Flintlock Rifles and Black Powder Guns