Powder Horn
Unknown Artist
1760
Medium
Horn (cow), wood, leather
Dimensions
L. 13 in. (33 cm); Diam. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); Wt. 13 oz. (368.5 g)
Classification
Firearms Accessories-Powder Horns
Culture
Colonial American
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Collection of J. H. Grenville Gilbert, of Ware, Massachusetts, Gift of Mrs. Gilbert, 1937
Accession Number
37.131.13
Art Historical Context
Crafted in 1760 during the height of Colonial American life, this powder horn exemplifies the practical ingenuity of the era. Fashioned from a cow horn, with wood and leather components, it measures 13 inches long and weighs just 13 ounces, making it an ideal portable accessory for frontiersmen, hunters, and soldiers. Hollowed out to hold black powder for muzzle-loading firearms, its sturdy design—complete with a wooden plug and leather straps—ensured reliable use in rugged conditions. Dating to the French and Indian War period (1754–1763), this artifact from the Arms and Armor department ref...