Owner: I don’t know, I’ve been trying to find out. I believe it’s a powder horn. I’ve had it for 45 years.

Valerie: But no idea how old it is or anything?

Owner: No, that’s what I’m trying to find out.

Valerie: It’s beautifully carved!

Owner: Lots of stories in that… nice stories.

Valerie: Would you sell it?

Owner: Ah… I don’t know! (they both laugh) I don’t know.

Click here for more information on The Mysterious Horn

Click here to play the video clip.

or see below for the Great Canadian Antique of the Week
(and see Doug Stocks blush!)

************

Douglas Stocks: And where did you get it?

Owner: Well, we got if from my husband’s aunt who passed away four years ago, she was 92. And she was… my husbands ninth generation of the Molson family, the brewery and so we know it’s been in the family a long time so it’s been with us…

Douglas Stocks: Has it been here in Calgary that long?

Owner: In Calgary only for three years.

Douglas Stocks: Three years, it was in Montreal before that?

Owner: Yes, in Montreal.

Douglas Stocks: Well, it’s just wonderful, I mean, it’s not a Montreal table…

Owner: Oh!

Douglas Stocks: … but it has fabulous style. And how did you use it – or how has it been used?

Owner: Well, I don’t know, but at home we don’t put anything on it, we just leave it alone and put it between two chairs so it doesn’t get knocked around and out of the light.

Douglas Stocks: Right, it’s better… you’re right… it’s better not to have it in the light because it will bleach that wonderful rich mahogany and, do you know what it’s called?

Owner: Well, we were told it was a candle stand and that’s what the estate said it was so we assumed that you put a candle here (indicates a small pull-out shelf).

Douglas Stocks: Well, I’m afraid they’re wrong.

Owner: No?

Douglas Stocks: What it is, a kettle stand. You have a kettle here and you would put your cup here and you would pour from your kettle to your cup. So it’s a very elegant tea stand, really…

Owner: Oh!

Douglas Stocks: And they’re lovely and this I think is the most decorated one I’ve ever seen. Because you’ve got these wonderful shells there, on the top you’ve got the decoration here, the seaweed, you’ve got the inlay. On every side but the back, I mean it really is, like you said, gorgeous. It’s really good. And these are all exotic woods, you’ve got Foxwood and the Green Tare wood and you’ve got Satin Wood and what’s so lovely about this, it hasn’t been refinished so this beautiful shell here – you see this dark work in here? Well, that’s called sand burning and they would take each individual piece of wood, they would heat up very fine sand, take the wood and scorch the side and so it’s like shading on a picture, so you get this lovely three-dimensional effect. And not only have they done the beautiful inlay, but they’ve just shaped the top a little bit so you’ve got that extra sort of oomph to it and the legs are so beautiful and fine and you’ve got this work – it really is lovely! Have you had it appraised before?

Owner: No, but the other thing I wondered is how old it is. We thought it was King George III…

Douglas Stocks: You’re right. But this, because of the elegance and the inlay, it’s pre-1800, it’s probably 1790, 1780…

Owner: Oh, wow!

Douglas Stocks: Yes, so it’s quite early and the value… any idea?

Owner: Well, we were thinking maybe two to three thousand Canadian…

Douglas Stocks: Oh, you’re a bit off…

Owner: Oh…

Douglas Stocks: Ummm… because of the things I’ve told you about, because of the crack I would say… more like nine to ten thousand.

Owner: What!! (screeches and hugs Doug Stocks).

Douglas Stocks: I’m blushing, I’m blushing! Thank you very much.

Owner: Thank you! I never thought…

Douglas Stocks: I know, it’s a really, really lovely table.

Owner: Oh! My God! Thank you. Oh, God…