The Tansel family of powder horn carvers are certainly among the most famous and talented artisans of their craft in early America, and their surviving work remains highly sought after examples of early American folk art. While clearly talented artists, the family's main occupation was farming. This horn was likely an existing horn brought to Timothy Tansel (1810-1852) in Indiana for engraving c. 1848-1850 and then had the base plug installed later. By that period, professionally engraved powder horns had become less common thanks to the rise of manufactured metal powder flasks. More on the Tansel maker's can be found in articles by Shelby Gallien and Jim Dresslar. The designs on this horn include the classic Tansel spread wing eagle and shield motif with an "E PLURIBUS UNUM" banner based on the Great Seal of the United States, a hunter with a bow, a dog, three running deer, simpler scroll and crosshatch accents and borders, an incomplete arrow over the hunter's arrow, a light "T" near the tips of the arrows held by the eagle, and some tally type lines and the worn year "1874" marked on the "fish mouth" carved throat. The body has a slightly flattened profile giving the base an oval shape. The wooden base plug is dished and has a threaded finial. The spout has a rather small opening with a turned wooden stopper in place, and a simple leather strap is fitted to the horn. The horn was purchased on 9/11/71 from Robert Mandel at a show in Hartford. Provenance: The Robert Mandel Collection; The Robert G. Smith Collection

Fine with distinct and attractive carving, mostly minor wear on the body aside from a few slight cracks, slightly shortening from the base end, and minimal wear on the base plug and finial.