Steven B Bruce Auctioneers Ltd

Halefax (Nova Scotia) Powder Horn Realises £1600 under the Hammer

Steven B Bruce Auctioneers Ltd sold a powder horn with associations to the British Campaign in North America in the late 18th/early 19th century for £1600 at their 19th June Sale at Stratford upon Avon Racecourse. Relating to Halefax (sic), Nova Scotia, the horn has a wooden inset base, sprung metal tip with action (spring still intact). The body of the horn is well engraved with a scene of the fortified settlement of Halefax with a Man O' War, canons, flags and the Royal Coat of Arms.

The horn was in the home of George Wright who died in 1930. He was the great uncle of the present owner whose family has had long associations with the sea and marine engineering.

George Wright was born in 1869 and was a marine engineer in Hull. His father, Henry Wright, was a ship's carpenter and copies of character and discharge papers are available. Making numerous sea voyages from Cardiff to Alexandria and Hull to Archangel in 1853 and other voyages, he was listed as a ship's carpenter in the 1881 Census.

Henry's father, William Wright, was also a ship's carpenter and it was believed in the family that he had been whaling. In the 1841 Census, he is listed as a labourer at Drypool, aged 50, and at Dock Office Row, Hull as a mariner, aged 53. Measurements: Height: 32 cms; circumference at tip: 13.5 cms; at base: 24 cms.

Estimate: £1200 - 1500.