About Us
A Guild of Contemporary Horn Workers and Collectors
In 1996, Roland Cadle of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, who had long been interested in the historic 18th Century horn trade, conceived the idea of hosting a “Horn Fair” at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. The horn fair consisted of a series of seminars and exhibits on the subjects of collecting and making objects from cow horn. It was such a positive experience for those who attended that eleven workers and collectors met afterwards to form a new organization called the Honourable Company of Horners (HCH). The founding members decided that the purpose of the organization would be to promote and preserve the knowledge of horn working. Officers were elected and the members decided to meet each year to hold seminars and conduct business in order to fulfill the mission of the organization.
During its first few years, the HCH was largely concerned with conducting its annual horn fairs, attracting new members and organizing itself. Regular annual meetings were held in numerous locations including the Ohio Historical Society, Davis-Elkins College, Colonial Williamsburg, and Connor Prairie. By 2000, the HCH could boast over 100 active members. Bylaws were adopted in 2001 and the HCH became a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization in 2002. In 2004, the HCH adopted a unique voluntary guild structure for its horn working members.
Today, the HCH remains firmly committed to its original mission – educating its members and the public about horn working and its history. Currently, the HCH has over 350 members and publishes a newsletter called The Horn Book, which comes out three times per year.
Our annual meeting is held the first part of March every year. If you are interested in horn working or collecting and would like to know more about the HCH, consider attending one of these meetings. They are open to the general public.
