Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

ariel · 15th February 2018, 08:49 PM

I got an e-mail from YataganMan together with 5 photographs.
Here they are together with the text: I am sure we can learn a lot about the process of making horn handles. Regretfully, there are no examples closely resembling the Poldi Pezzoli ones, and I would like to get as many opinions as can be possible.
Thanks to YataganMan for the info and to all of you for your insights.

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Dear Ariel,First of all thank you for your speedy response,

I have tried to explain by the photos the way these handles were made and what process and what materials were used ,in addition I have tried to illustratehow much colors change over the years.
To begin with domestic ram horns are selected over various colors black ,green grays,mixed colors and are piled in open air to dry for a period of 1.5 -2 years.Then over charcoal fire they were partly melted ond turned into solid blocks (as you will know the rams horns are hollow inside all the way).Then selection is made to separate better pieces without cracks and other defects.There are various tints of white actualy there is no whites but creamy yellows and so on.It is then these blocks are flattened by a heat process.Finaly selected ones
are put inside a hot metal mould and pressed, The final result is that you will have various shades of grays creams yellows etc,It Is at this stage that after patination over the years the final color tint is detrmined.Not all horns go to brown some go to red and tints of red whilist
some go to grey and greens. For this reason I also attac a picture of diffent aged finished pieces demonstrating different colors.The way I looked at the pictures in the etnographic arms was that were the forms and propotions correct was the syle correct color did not all mattered since I know some handles were hand painted for some strange reasonI have seen a number of these in europe.I do hope my pictures will tell about the handles.
Regards
Yataganman

5 Attacments

15th February 2018, 08:49 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I got an e-mail from YataganMan together with 5 photographs. Here they are together with the text: I am sure we can learn a lot about the process of making horn handles. Regretfully, there are no examples closely resembling the Poldi Pezzoli ones, and I would like to get as many opinions as can be possible. Thanks to YataganMan for the info and to all of you for your insights. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Ariel,First of all thank you for your speedy response, I have tried to explain by the photos the way these handles were made and what process and what materials were used ,in addition I have tried to illustratehow much colors change over the years. To begin with domestic ram horns are selected over various colors black ,green grays,mixed colors and are piled in open air to dry for a period of 1.5 -2 years.Then over charcoal fire they were partly melted ond turned into solid blocks (as you will know the rams horns are hollow inside all the way).Then selection is made to separate better pieces without cracks and other defects.There are various tints of white actualy there is no whites but creamy yellows and so on.It is then these blocks are flattened by a heat process.Finaly selected ones are put inside a hot metal mould and pressed, The final result is that you will have various shades of grays creams yellows etc,It Is at this stage that after patination over the years the final color tint is detrmined.Not all horns go to brown some go to red and tints of red whilist some go to grey and greens. For this reason I also attac a picture of diffent aged finished pieces demonstrating different colors.The way I looked at the pictures in the etnographic arms was that were the forms and propotions correct was the syle correct color did not all mattered since I know some handles were hand painted for some strange reasonI have seen a number of these in europe.I do hope my pictures will tell about the handles. Regards Yataganman 5 Attacments Attached Images