American Revolution Scrimshaw Powder Horns & Native American Rattlesnake Basket Among Top Lots Available With New England Auctions

Americana and Native American historical collectibles are coming to auction this January at New England Auctions. A scrimshaw powder horn marked, ‘Worren Desember 21, 1778,’ [sic] leads the auction. The available horn depicts a town scene with a church, houses, a pinwheel, and a ship. There are also drawings of two human figures, a snake, a dog, and a large heart on the powder horn. During the late 18th century, soldiers used scrimshaw powder horns to carry gunpowder. The available horn is a historical finding from the American Revolution. Other notable lots include an oil painting of a child with three dogs by Arthur J. Elsley dated 1919 and a Connecticut Valley Chippendale chest of drawers in cherry with a scalloped top.

The auction also includes several Native American finds. A featured lot is a late 19th-century rattlesnake basket of the Mission Indian community, the original inhabitants of the Californian coasts. They were termed “Mission Indians” by the Spanish explorers who arrived in the mid-16th century. Another notable Native American lot in the sale is a golden-yellow frontier hide jacket with heavily beaded floral designs from the 19th century. Find the listed items and more online auctions on Bidsquare.