Powderhorn, c.1840
Carved cow horn
Length: 24.5cm

With a cameo style cartouche, this carved cowhorn shows The James Pattison, a three masted vessel with a square rig. It seems to be the only known picture of the ship which was bound for Australia with emigrants aboard in 1840. Around this circular image are fish, scrolls, shell motifs, an anchor, a trident, a sword, a spear, a plain flag, a British flag and a sun with the carved initials "G.R." (possibly the scrimshaw carver).

Describing a voyage are the words carved in the powder horn "LEFT GRAVESEND NOVR 8th/Arrived Sydney/FEBY 8th 1840" and an incised picture of The James Pattison below. In shallower relief are ribbons and swags containing the above words and decorated with thistles, roses and clover. Deeply carved scrolls are found on the narrow end of the horn. The powder horn was designed to hold gun powder. There is no existing stopper so a simple cork may have held the powder inside.

This form of carving known as scrimshaw work refers to carving on shells, bone, ivory or wood usually by sailors in their spare time on long voyages. Although the origin of the word scrimshaw is not known, in H. Melville's novel, "Moby Dick", of 1851, he mentions "skrim shunder articles". This powder horn was created by an accomplished carver and may have been produced as a souvenir at the time or even a decade later to commemorate the voyage.