1771-Dated British Soldier's Engraved Powder Horn, Displaying Fort George and New York City Views with Royal Coat of Arms Flanked by a Lion and Unicorn, marked to a Soldier Engraved, "RK 4th, MRB 1771", Choice Very Fine.
This highly detailed, nicely Handcarved Engraved Powder Horn, measures 8 x 2 inches and retains its turned horn spout, fitted with a copper collar at the join. The engraved elements themselves, the Royal Arms, Garter motto, "Dieu et mon droit," sun-with-face motifs, soldier figure, and the New York/Fort George cityscape are all typical, well-attested devices for British military powder horns of this exact period, and the physical object's described iconography is fully reasonable and plausible. "M R B" is more likely a second set of personal initials, whereas the 4th Regiment of Foot ("The King's Own"), the long-standing line regiment raised in 1680. The King's Own 4th Regiment of Foot, as a whole unit, was not garrisoned in New York in 1771 according to its official regimental record as it was stationed in Scotland at that time. As armies frequently split off small detachments (recruiting parties, invalids, or a company assigned separately) that could be posted somewhere the main regimental body wasn't. A small party of 4th Regiment of Foot men could have plausibly been stationed in New York in 1771, even while headquarters was still in Scotland. This is the unit that Embarked for North America only in 1774 and genuinely fought at Lexington and Concord (April 1775), Bunker Hill (June 1775), and on Long Island (1776) so one must decide of the description is correct on that point. There is no question that this is a highly desirable attractive period Power Horn of significant value. The end cap is missing and the horns edge is chipped where two small nails broke off of minimal consequence. Overall, an impressive clearly “1771” date horn with excellent sharply engraved details belonging to a British soldier which further research may link this to some of the most historic battles fought during the American Revolutionary War. This Powder horn presents in choice condition, with a rich, even patina to the horn body and turned spout and the engraving throughout remains crisp and legible, with the light surface wear expected of period military use.