CLA 2019 Auction: Bag and horn set by Brian Barker

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 swatch of pillow tick. The strap for the bag is made from heavy duty vegetable tanned cowhide, and is fully adjustable by means of an aged brass buckle.

The exceptional southern style horn which accompanies this piece is has an applied collar and a turned maple base plug, and the entire horn exhibits a richly aged patina. Although not a direct copy, the antler powder measure for this set is modeled after an original piece dating to 1810, and exhibits whimsical scrimshaw engravings of a flintlock rifle, anchor, and fish. Taken as a whole, Barker’s attractive bag and horn set exhibits the appealing character found in museum-quality replicas.

“The CLA,” says Barker, “has been a great organization for me to meet other artists that I probably would not have met otherwise. There have been many artists and collectors that have inspired and challenged me to become more skilled in my art.”

For more information on the work of Brian Barker, contact the artist directly at: squirehawk1774@hotmail.com (More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)

Larry Pletcher, editor