T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E C O N T E M P O R A R Y L O N G R I F L E A S S O C I A T I O N VOLUME 6, NO. 1
WINTER 2015
RIC LAMBERT, SEE DETAIL PG. 23
T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E C O N T E M P O R A R Y L O N G R I F L E A S S O C I A T I O N
CONTENTS
Volume 6, No. 1 • Winter 2015 EDITOR John W. Hayes
2. EDITOR’S NOTE
ASSOCIATE EDITORS -
3. WORKS OF HIGH ESTIMATION: TRADE SILVER ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER Joshua Sheppard
ART DIRECTOR John W. Hayes Summer Criswell Walter
12. THE SOUTHERN TRAVELER Guy Montfort
PRODUCTION MANAGER Summer Criswell Walter
28. THE STORY AS TOLD BY A GERMANIC STYLE FLAT HORN Mark E. Thomas
COPY EDITOR John W. Hayes PHOTOGRAPHERS Ric Lambert Jan Riser
31. A WELL ROUNDED APPRECIATION FOR BEING FLAT John W. Hayes & Mark E. Thomas
ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Rachel Nolen
38. BOOK REVIEWS: Flintlocks: A Practical Guide for their Use and Appreciation by Eric A. Bye Reviewed by Joshua Sheppard
RESEARCH DEPARTMENT Dan Brawner Kyle Carroll
An Intimate Look at the American Longrifle, Its Art and Evolution by David Hansen Reviewed by John W. Hayes
AMERICAN TRADITION is the official publication of the Contemporary Longrifle Association and is published twice a year for the membership. Annual membership dues are $50.00. To join the CLA or for more information, contact: The Contemporary Longrifle Association, P.O. Box 2247, Staunton, VA 24402. Phone: 540 886-6189. Email: cla@longrifle.ws. Website: www.longrifle.com
Front Cover:
This beautiful cover captures the essence of "The Southern Traveler," a contemporary interpretation of arms accoutrements and provision of the mid18th century Southern frontier. Note the craftsmanship of the .58 caliber smooth rifle by Ian Pratt, the gator-hide hunting pouch by Maryellen Pratt, the powder bottle by Mike Grau, and the quilled strap by Lally House.
Copyright 2015 by the not-for-profit Contemporary Longrifle Association, all rights reserved. CONTACTING THE EDITOR: For editorial inquiries, contact John W. Hayes at <jwhcrosshares@yahoo.com>, phone 218-327-3546. Mail written material to: John Hayes, 38110 County Rd 469, Cohasset, MN 55721
PHOTOGRAPH BY RIC LAMBERT
Printed by Modern Litho Jefferson City, MO 65101 American Tradition
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EDITOR’S NOTE
B
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BE
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Salutations,
y the time you receive this present issue, Spring should be in full swing. It is a time filled with anticipation of new growth and new beginnings. The AT staff has been quite busy along with the contributing authors since late November 2014. Things have not slowed down but rather have ramped up to get this issue out to you and continue to get back on the former schedule.
This issue begins with an article by Joshua Sheppard which peers into the relevance of trade silver in the colonies and the early United States. The much anticipated photo essay and article on The Southern Traveler Exhibit is finally within our pages. The genesis of the project began with Ian Pratt, and his wife Maryellen, who by the generosity of Paul Gosnell, were able to make by their own endeavors or acquire from numerous CLA artists, all the pieces in the exhibit. By their pooled skills and craftsmanship what was once an idea, is now a reality. Guy Monfort’s writing fleshes out the exhibit. If you have not viewed it, simply turn the pages to appreciate the efforts of these fine artists. The third article by Mark Thomas shows the concept for a German flat horn brought to fruition. At the request of Paul Gosnell a flat horn was created by Mark to accompany Paul’s colonial rifle that possessed a Germanic feel. The flat horn was made with four panels and facets that tell a story. Thanks to Mark’s efforts, his article became the spark for the side bar that begins with two original 19th century horns, one from Kentucky and the other from Virginia. But, that same fire also sent me deep into the archives of the AT, hopefully, to ferret out any hidden gems. I discovered four beautiful, contemporary, flat horns which I believe you will appreciate. Mark, thanks for the inspiration.
their Use and Appreciation, by Eric A. Bye and last but certainly not least is David Hansen’s richly illustrated Book, An Intimate Look at the American Longrifle, Its Art and Evolution. This issue also comes on the heels of the CLA show at Lake Cumberland near Jamestown, Kentucky; made possible by the dedicated efforts of Mel Hankla. While attending that show I observed fellow CLA members sharing their appreciation for our colonial and early American treasures both original and contemporary. It was especially gratifying to see a number of visitors in the 20 to 30 year old age bracket eagerly asking questions of the presenters and carefully studying the accouterments presented. The artists and collectors who sat within, were ready to share of themselves and hopefully plant a seed in a newcomer that will sprout and continue the growth of our shared passion. Thus, the renewal brought by Spring is a fitting backdrop to remind us all, be ready to share, and pass along our American traditions. As always, thank you for your attention.
John W. Hayes, Editor
In the final pages are the reviews for three books that should capture attention of any CLA member. The first is, Guyasuta and the Fall of Indian America, by Brady J. Crytzer; the next is on a subject which is near and dear to our hearts titled, Flintlocks: A Practical Guide for 2
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WORKS OF HIGH ESTIMATION: Trade Silver on the American Frontier
Joshua Shepherd RIC LAMBERT
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n the perilous and shifting borderlands of the colonial frontier, the mutual bonds of trade and diplomacy could very well determine the epic contest of empire for North America. To the Iroquois Confederacy, such an alliance was known as the “Covenant Chain,” the tribes’ grand bargain with Great Britain which in many respects shaped the balance of power on the northern frontier for much of the 18th century.
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The Covenant Chain, explained the Onondaga chieftan Canasatego at the 1744 Treaty of Lancaster, had initially been forged with the colonists of New Netherland. But when English authorities saw that the chain was made of wampum “which was liable to break and rot, and to perish in the course of years”, they replaced it with “a Silver Chain, which would be much stronger, and would last forever.”1
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Crafted by David Dittmer, Moon Gorget and Ear Wheel,upper middle is an original Jeton Token from Louis XV period. Courtesy of David Dittmer. RIC LAMBERT
Canasatego’s metaphor of a silver covenant chain underscored the dramatic changes to tribal material culture wrought by nearly two centuries of exposure to European trade. The earliest settlers to North America found that the Indians had little interest in articles made of gold or silver, which the natives regarded as little more than curious, shiny baubles of only nominal value. Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island and one of colonial America’s earliest ethnologists, noted that European currency was an even greater mystery; silver “Coyne”, wrote Williams, “The Indians prize not.”2
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Such an indifference to the white man’s precious metals would erode over the subsequent century as the natives intuitively grasped the tremendous economic and social power of silver. Although coinage remained nearly worthless as a medium of exchange in inter-tribal trade, its purchasing power with European traders was seemingly boundless. By 1682, when William Penn reputedly negotiated his legendary “Great Treaty” with the Delaware, the tribe was willing to accept payment not only in trade goods and wampum but 300 Dutch Guilders in silver.
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During the latter half of the 17th century, cast pewter became the metal of choice that dominated the trade in personal adornment. As natives transitioned from traditional shell and bone jewelry to mass-produced items of European manufacture, pewter presented a reasonably affordable alternative. However, steady acculturation to European goods, as well as respectable profits from a rapidly expanding fur trade, ensured that the natives would largely reject such a humble alloy in favor of the brilliant allure of sterling silver.3 By the mid 18 century, the desire for silver ornaments experienced a meteoric rise and London silversmiths, as well as an increasing number of craftsmen from Philadelphia, New York, and Montreal, th
worked feverishly to meet the demand. Such artisans produced a prodigious body of work that included ear rings, nose bobs, arm bands, and a dizzying array of remarkable brooches painstakingly crafted into such motifs as rings, hearts, crowned hearts, double hearts, and intricately pierced disks. It is thought that the double-armed Cross of Lorraine, which was common on the northern frontier, gained popularity after its introduction by French Jesuits. No other trade item could rival silver as a potent symbol of beauty and prestige. By 1779, British Superintendant of Indian Affairs Guy Johnson noted that the natives had developed discerning tastes. “Many of the Indians,” he reported, “will no longer
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Crafted by Mark Burleigh, round gorget, ball & cone earring, and round brooch with thistle.
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wear Tinsel Lace and are becoming Good Judges of Gold & Silver” works which were “of High Estimation among them.”4 Warriors intent on making a visible impression were often conspicuously covered in silver ornaments. English diarist Nicholas Cresswell described a Shawnee delegation to Williamsburg, Virginia in 1774: “They are tall, manly, well-shaped men,” noted Cresswell, “They have rings of silver in their nose
and bobs to them which hang over their upper lip. Their ears are cut from the tips two thirds of t h e way round and the piece extended with brass wire till it touches their shoulders, in this part they hang a thin silver plate, wrought in flourishes about three inches diameter, with plates of silver round their arms and in their hair.” Both men and women could be similarly adorned. When artist George Winter worked among the Pottawatomie during the 1830’s, he was startled to find
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Crafted by Mark Thomas, 1690's passport badge pendant, Lorraine cross with heart finial.
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Crafted by Pete Gaskins, brooch, hair pipe, ball & cone earrings. RIC LAMBERT
Indian women pinned with so many brooches that their dresses “had the appearance of armor.” Such extravagance was as much a display of status as personal taste. Winter was especially taken with the wife of a half-blood interpreter who was particularly “proud of his handsome squaw” and lavished her with prodigious amounts of trade silver. No woman “equaled her in regard of dress,” wrote Winter, “she was as her likeness indicates – ‘plated’ with silver broaches, the very ne plus ultra6 of an Indian woman’s toilette.”7
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The stylistic craze for decorative silver remained unabated as civilization advanced into the Rocky Mountain west. The Lewis and Clark expedition included in its inventory of trade goods a selection of silver items, and discovered that even remote tribes with limited access to British and American trade networks creatively improvised silver jewelry on their own hook. Expedition member Patrick Gass recorded in his diary a curious exchange which took place on June 2, 1806. One of the Americans, wrote Gass, “got two Spanish dollars from an Indian for an old razor. They said
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they got the dollars from about a Snake [Shoshone] Indian’s neck, they had killed some time ago.”8 But of far greater import to the success of the expedition was the impressive collection of silver peace medals which the explorers took west; in all at least 89 medals in five different sizes, many depicting President Jefferson. As early as 1660, Virginia authorities had presented medals to native leaders at treaty talks, establishing a precedent which would become a regular feature of tribal diplomacy for the succeeding two centuries. Gifts of such medals, or often crescent-shaped gorgets, a traditional emblem of European military officers, were intended to cement alliances with favored sachems and thereby bring a measure of stability to a volatile frontier. While serving as secretary of state in the Washington administration, Thomas Jefferson described the practice as “an antient Custom from time immemorial. The medals are considered as complimentary things, as marks of friendship to those who come to see us, or who do us good offices, conciliatory of their good will towards us.”9 The tradition, claimed Jefferson, had its origins in Europe, where diplomats were often presented with such medals. Among tribes where the ownership of decorative trade silver had become a benchmark of status, medals and gorgets would become a potent tool in the delicate game of frontier diplomacy.
Crafted by Dave Hughes, gorget and double bar cross. The backdrop is a waistcoat courtesy of Laura Sylvester. RIC LAMBERT
The simple possession of peace medals could signal abrupt and tumultuous shifts in tribal alliances and trading partnerships. The English trader Alexander Henry, who operated out of Fort Michilimackinac in the wake of the French and Indian War, recalled that the local Chippewa, who still harbored decidedly pro-French sympathies, were
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outraged by one of their chiefs who was “warmly attached to the English.” He had been captured at Fort Niagara, presented with a British flag and peace medal, and “had returned to Michilimackinac full of praises
for the English.” The ill-advised display of such gifts “nearly cost him his life”, thought Henry, and the chief’s “lodge was broken down.”10
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