Powder horn

Military

This powder horn has been showcased in the gallery because it is so beautifully decorative. The horn has been carved in a deeply incised rose design displaying the rose, the date 1698, and initials R.F. The stopper is made from wood carved to the shape of a thistle. Powder horns were containers used for storing gunpowder They were usually made from cattle horns, and were most commonly used with eighteenth century muskets. The use of nonferrous metal parts and naturally hollow animal horns ensured that the powder would not be detonated by sparks during storage and loading. Even though they were rendered obsolete by the development of breech-loading fire arms, these powder horns went back into production briefly during Victorian times as a fashionable accessory to 'traditional' Highland dress.

Material: horn, wood

Size: L 102 mm x W 76 mm

Sources: West Highland Museum