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Horn Cup
Horn Cup
Horn Cup

Horn Cup

Maker
Period1779
MediumCow horn, wood, iron
Dimensions2 × 3 × 2.5 in. (5.1 × 7.6 × 6.4 cm)
InscribedCarved on bottom, "1779"
SignedCarved on side of cup, "DANIEL / DENISE"
ClassificationsMilitary Artifacts
Credit LineGift of Mr. H.W. Buck, 1934
Object number698
DescriptionA round cup constructed from cow horn, with two bands carved around the circumference of the top edge and various carvings around the cup such as a two cross-hatched bowtie-shaped designs, a long-tailed bird, and a profile of a bird in flight. "DANIEL / DENISE" is inscribed on the cup's vertical side. There is also a very faint carving of a flower enclosed in a circle. Along the bottom circumference are two bands separated by a scalloped ring. Six iron nails secure a wooden bottom to the body of the cup. On the underside is carved the year, "1779."
Curatorial RemarksHorn cups such as this one were often crafted by Continental soldiers during the Revolutionary War. These utensils were light, durable, and easy to make, requiring only a carved piece of cow horn fitted with a wooden plug. Soldiers often passed the time by personalizing their cups with carved inscriptions and decorations.NotesDaniel Denise (1748 - 1823), of Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey, was a private who served in Captain Waddell's Company, Fourth Regiment at Monmouth.
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