Samuel Dudley's Powder Horn

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This charming powder horn was engraved for Samuel Dudley, a New England soldier serving in Warwick, Rhode Island, in December 1777. The engraved decoration — including a whimsical unicorn, a pair of moose, and two sword-wielding figures with the phrase "Try It Out" — is attributed to Jacob Gay, a prolific powder horn engraver whose surviving work spans 1758-1787. Gay may have been a soldier himself, carving horns to earn extra money or food while serving in the American Army.

Object Details

Powder Horn
Engraved by Jacob Gay
Warwick, Rhode Island
December 26, 1777
Horn (cow), Wood
Museum of the American Revolution
2003.00.0117

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Detail of Samuel Dudley's Powder Horn

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