Lot 1781

Description

Hunting horn with scrimshaw, c1830s, made from a buffalo horn (370mm long), depicting the name, 'Wm.Kerby/IVth/King's Own Regimt', also a three-masted English galleon, English Royal arms, a woman sitting astride a barrel of brandy, a Union Jack flag, a mermaid with a hand-held mirror, various floral decorations and a kangaroo in the style of early 19th century drawings of same. Very fine and rare early Australiana item.

Wm.Kerby, actally Private William Kirby, was a member of the 4th King's Own Regiment. This unit served in Australia from 1832-1837 at Sydney, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Swan River Colony. In Historical Records of Victoria (Vol 1) there is a record of the testimony of Corporal John Naylor on 12 April 1837 at the inquest post mortem of a member of his regiment held at Port Phillip.

In his testimony Naylor states, 'I am a corporal in the 4th Regiment belonging to the detachment stationed here. On the evening of the seventh instant Private William Kirby of the same regiment was missing. I have never seen him since, until about half an hour ago when I was told his body had been found in the river opposite the town. I went there and on examining the body I ascertained and am quite positive it was the body of the above mentioned Will Kirby.'