Lot 219

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Lot 219
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Extraordinarily Rare Revolutionary War Powder Horn Used At Battle of Concord, Used By Minute Man Oliver Buttrick
Extraordinarily Rare Revolutionary War Powder Horn Used At Battle of Concord, Used By Minute Man Oliver Buttrick
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Description:

Extraordinarily Rare Revolutionary War Powder Horn Used At Battle of Concord, Used By Minute Man Oliver Buttrick

A rare and historic Revolutionary War powder horn used by Minute Man Oliver Buttrick at the Battle of Concord, April 19, 1775. Measuring 17.75" in length and 10.75" in circumference at its widest point. Wood bezel with metal accessories, along with a glass lens at the base, housing an ownership label on vellum reading "Oliver Buttrick, OCTR. AD 1774." This type of decoration is rare in these types of relics, seen only on a few other 18th-century powder horns. With a metal wire at the circular lip, likely used to hang the horn. Very good original condition, with contemporary surface wear. Minor cracking and chipping near the base lip. Two well-patinated chips to the wood. Vertical crack to the glass lens. Original wire hoops and metal fastenings are still present with minor patina. Accompanied by extensive documentation and provenance, which can be accessed upon request, in the form of a 58 page PDF.

Oliver Buttrick, age eighteen, was one of seven in the Buttrick family to join the first battle of the American Revolution and carried this powder horn with him. Unrest in the colonies had been increasing with British occupation and attempts to seize further power in America, and by 1774, the rebellious attitude of the colonists had reached a fever pitch. In October 1774, governor Thomas Gage dissolved the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, but the men led by John Hancock continued to meet, collecting taxes, raising militias, etc. The fact that young Buttrick marked his powder horn with this date is very telling of the general feeling at the time.

By early April 1775, word reached British command that rebel colonists were amassing arms and powder at Concord, Massachusetts. British Lt. Col. Francis Smith led a force of about 700 British army regulars from Boston to Concord on the morning of April 19th, with the aim of capturing and destroying these arms. The news was discovered by colonists and immediately spread to local militias, largely in part due to men like Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott. Although the militia at Lexington hadn't time to fully assemble and had to retreat, those who stood at Concord had been alerted in time, and a formidable force held the North Bridge. The confrontation between the British and colonists eventually erupted into gunfire which became known as “the shot heard round the world”. This historic battle is known as the first true major military engagement of defiance from the colonists with the British Empire.

During the battle, Oliver Buttrick’s uncle, Major John Buttrick led the advance at the Old North Bridge, with Oliver and his brother William fighting in David Brown's Company. William tragically was killed three weeks later at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Additional relatives who fought that day were Abiel Buttrick, Daniel Buttrick, Tilly Buttrick, Willard Buttrick, and John Buttrick Jr. (a 14-year-old fifer). Oliver would continue to serve in the war, fighting in such notable battles as Point Shirley, Bennington, Ticonderoga, Fishkills, and Soldiers Fortune (near West Point). He also performed guard duty on a prison ship in Boston Harbor.

Oliver Buttrick (1757 - ?) descended from one of the oldest Concord families, dating back to William Buttrick, who arrived from England in 1635. (In different sources, the family name is also spelled Buttrike and Butterick). According to Concord Registers, Book II, Oliver was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on March 7, 1757, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Buttrick. He officially enlisted in the service of his country when he was 21. He served extensively in the war, fighting under the command of Sgt. Abishai Brown, Captain James Barrett, and Captain George Minot. After the war, Oliver married Sarah Hall from Ashby, Massachusetts, and the couple had ten children. It is unknown when Buttrick died, but we do know that he filed for his Revolutionary War pension at the age of 77.

After Buttrick's death, the powder horn made its way into the possession of James P. Hughes, who was a contemporary and neighbor of several of Oliver’s children in Pelham, N.H. and an important and influential citizen of that town. This powder horn is among the few existing objects that can be directly associated with the first Battle for American Independence and, to our knowledge, is the only Colonial horn used at this historic confrontation to ever be offered for sale. In fact, we believe that no relic used by a minuteman at the Concord engagement has been sold at auction in many years. This is indeed a truly extraordinarily rare and historic artifact and presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The horn had previously been on display at the Concord Museum in an exhibition of items from this most important of American events, spanning from April to September 2014.

PROVENANCE: Oliver Buttrick, 1774, James P. Hughes, Windham, NH before 1883, Robert Thayer, 1994. Exhibited at the Concord Historical Society Museum, 2014 at the “Shot Heard Round the World” Exhibition.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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Bid Increments
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$100 $299 $20
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$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000