With my oldest son's birthday coming up, I wanted to give him something other than video games. Hopefully this will energize him to save his money up for a firelock (thereby not borrowing mine any longer).
I wanted something for his impression that would bridge the gap from the Seven Years War through the revolution, so turned to Jim Mullins' excellent book, Of Sorts for Provincials.
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| Virginia Shot Pouch, Gusler collection (Jim Mullins, Of Sorts for Provincials) |
The Virginia pouch depicted in this book is from the Wallace Gusler collection and is dated to the mid 18th c. Its simplicity works, for AWI, I think, since many of the accoutrements used by Virginia forces in the 1760s were returned to the public armory and store at Williamsburg.
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| Thomson Horn, circa 1760 (Jim Mullins, Of Sorts for Provincials) |
The horn I chose to recreate (though not in the same busy detail) is that of Jacob Thomson and is dated to the 1760's.
I drafted a pattern of the small Virginia bag (approx. 7.5" wide by 6.5" high) and used 3-4 oz leather for the body, and 7-8 oz leather for the strap.
On cutting it out, I burnished the edges and punched out the stitch holes using an awl, with two rows on the bag opening and flap, so the leather could be turned over the liner as in the original.
The liner is just scrap linen (Burnley and Trowbridge) from other projects, and I added a small internal pocket for a turnscrew, flints and an oil bottle. The main bag will hold balls and some tow or linen scraps for cleaning.
I then dyed the bag and sewed in the linen lining, completing the front with a pewter button. The lining is also whip stitched around the interior of the button hole.
The strap (missing on the original) is one inch in width, tooled and burnished before dying. The left end is stitched to the rear of the bag and the right is attached by a pewter button (that is sewn to a bone button on the interior to take some of the stress.
The whisk I made from horsehair, brass wire and then used an old coathanger and a few strokes on the anvil for the pick.
The horn, has less scrimshaw than the original, but I kept the fish, ship and the quote.
The horn was dyed to age it and has a poplar for the plug in the spout and the butt end (fastened with wooden pegs).
The strap is 7-8 oz leather and I used hemp twist to attach it, as well as the shot cup and spout plug.
Not an exact replica, but close enough for a teenager's first bag and horn.
