September-October 2015 – Message from the Guildmaster

It was Saturday, October 17, 2015 6:30 AM and I was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike once again headed West five days after returning East from the Ft. Roberdeau 18th Century Marketfaire and Rifle Frolic where I demonstrated with the Horn Guild’s lathe. We enjoyed three days of good Mid-Atlantic fall foliage with brisk nights and bright days except for a little shower Saturday afternoon. This trip is to Carlisle to attend the Horn Guild Executive Committee meeting at the Army Heritage Center to work on Guild business including the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Guild.

As I passed the exit to Valley Forge Historical park (half way through my Wawa bagel with egg and sausage) I thought of the powder horn I held in my hand earlier this year from the park’s collection. I had delivered several reproduction camp furniture pieces including a folding Georgian side chair, two stools, a liquor canteen, and a domed chest commissioned by curator Donna McDermott. She took my wife Regina and me for a visit through some of the archives including the George C. Neuman collection of sharp pointy things and others that go bang. Drawers of them! One drawer held powder horns including the park’s Jabez Rockwell horn made and dated so at Valley Forge. This was a rare privilege and you can see a photograph of it held by hand. The camp furniture shown is the first I have delivered looking distressed by use. My web site www.livinghistoryshop.com illustrates images of my normal fare.

The Executive Committee consisting of Tom Ames; Guild Master Elect; Art DeCamp, Treasurer; Russ Young, Secretary; Ed Long, ex-Guild Master and I got a thorough “state of budget report” from Art of some profound importance. Fundraising Committee Chair Kris Polizzi attended as well. The Guild’s budget is divided into two parts. One controls the overall operation including annual conference, website, Horn Book and such costs associated with these efforts. The second part is money raised and dedicated to the purpose of the Guild “to learn and share knowledge of Horn work.” The Hartley book is an example of this effort that paid its own way and made profits to fund new work now in progress. The operational costs have increased as a normal cost of doing business with out a corresponding increase of revenue from memberships, raffles or sponsorships. Therefore, it is prudent to increase first time membership dues in keeping with the benefits of a first class informational website, Horn Book of renown and growth of the organization. Some cost cutting tweaks in both conference and yearly operational expenses will also take place.

Our Guild is in a strong monetary position and will remain so going into the future thanks to the financial management skills of Art DeCamp.

To those hunters among us good luck, be careful, and shoot straight.
Dick Toone Guildmaster