August 2014 – Message from the Guildmaster

August of 2014 has been truly one to remember here in New Jersey. We have had less heat and humidity than anyone can recall. The favorable, non-humid weather was granted at Dixon’s Gunmakers Fair and the Summer Reception too. Relief was seen on all of the happy faces for sure.

Speaking of Dixon’s, we had 73 paid attendees at the reception. That should be a break even financial event and the Guild sold a little over $1700 between raffle tickets, Hartley books and hats. We signed up nine new members and seven renewals. The volunteers at the two HCH tables worked very diligently, I can attest to that because I was demonstrating with the spring pole lathe right in front of them. I did not record all that helped but Don Fererro, Kris Polizzi, Jerry Polizzi and Cameron Lane stand out. Thanks to them all and the others.

August has been very busy for Regina and I. August 14-15 I demonstrated the lathe in the main show room of the Contemporary Longrifle Association’s Annual Show/Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky. My wife Regina accompanied me and provided with photo documenting the two Lanthorn presentations. All should know by now that the Guild tries to honor contemporary horn experts that worked before the Guild was established for their contribution of knowledge that is the foundation upon which the Guild stands today. Roland Cadle and Art DeCamp came up with this idea and make the awards of half a Lanthorn on a plaque. A most attractive and meaningful trophy. Dr. Jay Hopkins and Tom Grinslake were the recipients. I stood as a sprout handing the awards to and from giants in the kingdom of horn.

August 30, Regina and I attended the 31st annual Howell Farm plowing match in adjoining Mercer County (named for General Hugh Mercer bayoneted to death January 3, 1777 at the Battle of Princeton). Nine – two and three horse teams and two oxen teams competed at the 19th Century working farm that yearly plows 45 acres for the planting of winter wheat. The “Milking Shorthorn Oxen” Jim and Bob are shown here in the picture. I am sure confused about their handle.

Best regards,
Dick Toone, Guildmaster

July 2014 – Message from the Guildmaster

On Friday, July 25th, my wife and I got an early start to Dixon’s happy with the weather report that an unexpected late July break in the normal heat was in the weekend forcast. I had read an early e-mail that Horn Book editor Bill Carter was not coming , and I was met at the Horn tent by Kris Polizzi with the sad news that Bill’s brother Bob had passed away while Bill was enroute North. Bill Carter is a sensitive and caring man full of good mirth that you cannot be but happy around. Bob’s passing was not totally unexpected and Bill had been helping Bob’s family for some time. The Horn Guild family wishes to express our heartfelt condolences to Bill and his kin.

In spite of the good weather, public attendance seemed a little lighter. Sales were brisk and seminars were well attended. Less guns to be judged and more accouterments this year. The highlight of the show for a little over seventy of us was the Friday night reception. Fifteen rural driving minutes on a farmstead surrounded with lush summer crops, a spirited horse named Buddy in the pasture, and a coop full of chickens screened behind our picnic tables on a beautiful summer evening. All the food was home cooked and served cafeteria style in a large walk through family room. Many times when dining out you are offered a local specialty. Not this time. The entire menu starting with corn fritter appetizers to shoofly pie with homemade ice cream was Berks County, Pennsylvania Dutch including hog belly and it was outstanding.

The Mendel family are caterers by profession and the warm reception at their home reflects old style hospitality. They have invited us back for next year and space is limited so be warned to sign up early with Art DeCamp or you might miss out. Frank and Faith Willis were applauded for their last ten years of making the yearly reception first at their home, then Jacobsburg and now at the Mendel’s near Kutztown. Frank’s farewell speech was interrupted as if on cue numerous times by a confident rooster much to the entertainment of all present.

Guildmaster Dick Toone (left) congratulates Zachary Griner on his big win.

Another highlight was to see the real joy and exuberant excitement of a good-looking giant of a young man that won the John DeWald-Frank Willis horn and bag grand prize. Congratulations to Zachary Griner of Georgia on his winning of this high-art Pennsylvania set.

The weekend ended without the annual rain storm and with lots of Horn Guild members winning ribbons.

If you have not decided on a vacation place this summer and would consider the middle of the country for a trip, try to visit Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. This is a two day experience of first class historical perspective. The village is 90 acres of original houses, schools and factories moved to a 90 acre site with walking, Model T or horse and wagon tours. Henry Ford’s first shop and Thomas Edison’s experimental lab/factory are intact. Edison’s building is even sitting on the dirt moved from Menlo Park, New Jersey. The museum is huge and like Greenfield Village started in the 1920’s by the multimillionaire with an interest in preserving the past. The museum covers all aspects of American history much from the early part of the 1900’s when Henry Ford was a buddy with the likes of Thomas Edison, Henry Firestone and others, and modern industry and invention was bursting forth. There is an impressive collection of Early American furniture including pieces belonging to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as well as a surprisingly large display of American guns. There are horns and bags to drool over.

Hope you all are having a great summer. We’ll be at the CLA show demonstrating the Guild lathe in August.

Best regards,Dick Toone, Guildmaster

June 2014 – Message from the Guildmaster

The calendar says it is not quite Summer, but all week here in central New Jersey it’s been 85 and humid.  Not that I am complaining, especially after a prolonged winter 2013-2014.  It sure is hot without a breeze. Fortunately our old farmhouse sits among sturdy shade trees and the open fields to the Southwest let  breezes flow through. My wife and I do not use or have air conditioning and this warm spell makes me think of Dixon’s.

Late July in Eastern Pennsylvania is hot weather time and time for Chuck Dixon’s Gun Fair. The Fair is like Disneyland for muzzleloading enthusiasts. Most all muzzleloading supply manufactures and sales outlets are open for business under one of the long rows of tents. Gunsmiths, knifesmiths and yes, hornsmiths all have their winter work on display. Multiple seminars are broad ranged from beginners hands on to professional tips on sharpening tools. There is family entertainment to be seen like blacksmithing, canon firing and rifling of a gun barrel in the 18th century way. There is an antiques flee market for the missus to enjoy.

Fellow Horn Guild members abound at Dixon’s. They are involved in gun and accoutrement judging as well as demonstrations and the lectures. They give freely of their time because they love the atmosphere of like minded people and inquisitive public. Chuck Dixon goes out of his way to open his property to help educate the public by providing a place and the impetus behind this unique in all the world experience. It is not often that we have the opportunity to mingle with the notable gun builders, Pennsylvania Long Rifle collectors and muzzleloader parts suppliers in a rural farm setting. The gun show theme is Fowlers for the first time. You can bet on seeing a few fine originals on display.

Guild’s Summer reception will be something special too. It will feature a traditional Berk’s County home cooked meal just a few minutes from the gun fair Friday night. Good food, cool refreshments, and an informal get together with friends on a Friday night- it doesn’t get much better than that.  Be sure to reserve early before the show.

See you there.

Dick Toone, Guildmaster

May 2014 – Message from the Guildmaster

Dear Membership:

The warm conviviality of our Guild Meeting in March seeing old and new faces and hearing of each other’s winter of discontent with the weather, has rapidly receded with time.  The meeting itself was refreshing with speakers knowledgeable of their craft, a lot of original horn and bag examples gathered together by the Southern contingency, as well as marvelous examples of past and present workmanship in horn.  Tom Ames’s encyclopedic mind provided a visual and academic study of inscribed symbols left by craftsmen of the past on their work allowing us to better understand  the world and time they lived in.  Today we can honor their thoughts by duplication and enrich our minds by investing time thinking of some of the commonality of life then and now.  Carl Dumke’s Masters verbal and photographic presentation “The Hornebook  – A Study of History, Form & Function” was a superlative presentation by a true Master.

Fort Frederick Market Fair bustled with a multitude of juried craftspeople vieing for attention including a goodly representation of Hornsmiths.  Raw horn supply was plentiful and our Guild members, dispersed throughout the fair, drew lots of attention.  My sales (non horn) were off from last year but the weather, ever variable, lent four of the five crispy mornings sunshine to start a fire, boil coffee and make an omelet breakfast for wife Regina and Yankee Bill Carter.  This has been a tradition together for us at Ft. Frederick since 1996.

New and continued membership in the Guild is both a mission and necessity.  Most of us have membership in more than one organization relating to black powder and history.  All the organizations vie for our dollars to be able to educate the public, preserve our past and secure the future for our offspring.  We are the frontline of the war on relevancy of our culture and heritage when it comes to educating our fellow citizens young and old about history.  Started in 1996 the Honourable Company of Horners has muscled its way to the very forefront of American black powder enthusiasts with accurate historic, artful, educational presence at shows, in the printed media and our very own professional publication- “The Horn Book.”  Of the thousands of black powder shooters today a very small portion are Guild Members.  Not every black powder shooter uses a powder horn but many do.  Not everyone can make a powder horn on their own, but they can learn from our educator membership.  Please make sure you are up to date paying your Guild membership dues.

A strong presence of the Horn Guild will be at Dixon’s Gun Fair, July 25-27, 2014.  A new location for the Guild’s summer reception on Friday night will be conveniently located only a couple of miles from the fair.  Reserve early to make sure you can attend this premier event.  [Read more about the reception here…] Whether a new attendee to Dixon’s or an old regular make it a point to attend Chuck Dixon’s welcoming remarks and “our” role in society on Friday morning. I hope you can make it; I plan on being there.

Best regards,

Dick Toone,
Guildmaster

April 2014 – Message from the Guildmaster

Here is Dick Toone our new Guildmaster spinning a horn on his spring pole lathe.

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