If you can supply any information about the gourds pictured below, please e-mail through the AGS website and we will relay details to the owner!  New replies added 11/12/10.
 
 My Dad gave me a gourd that is about 4 inches tall and has a circumference of about 
2 1/2 inches. It is hollowed out . This gourd contains shot inside that looks to be used 
with a blackpowder rifle. Do you have any information about this concerning the era in 
which this could have been used or any information on this particular gourd at all? 
        REPLIES:

There are many of these little gourds (with shot still inside) at a museum in Edgefield, South Carolina. The curator is very knowledgeable. I will talk to him about them. More later, Joanne Crouch SC Gourd Society


I am pretty certain that this is a "hosho", a rhythm instrument from many parts of Africa, but in particular the ones I know about are from Zimbabwe and two would be shaken in prescribed rhythmic patterns as accompaniment to one or more people playing the mbira, which is a type of "thumb piano".  This gourd instrument could have been made here in the US if it is indeed shot inside.  The ones made in Africa have hota seeds inside. --Whitney Peckman, www.WhitneyPeckman.com
This small GOURD with loose shot resembles a similar one published in a way back issue of THE GOURD in which a very unusual twin shot Gourd pertained to the Marvin Johnson GOURD MUseum in Fuquay Varina NC.(see internet). His example I recall was DECORATED with Initials and date 1821 approximately. My keenest interest as a GOURD artist is this fact that GOURD decorating was done in that era 1821 in  our USA and therefore I consider it as a Traditional form of Early American Life CRAFT.Early American Life Traditional Crafts ( magazine) so recognized it in 2006. I seek any info of any early American  decorated GOURD in any historical museum or house collection. --Gloria C Joyce,  4x prized AGS Gourd artist: email: ashleybertucci@gmail.com

I was recently given this gourd and wondered if you could tell me anything about it...
it is decorated with what I believe to be copper wire and certainly has some age to it...
any help would be greatly appreciated...
        REPLIES:
      This is typical Zulu (South African) wire work frequently found on snuff bottles.  -- Jim Widess,  The Caning Shop -- www.caning.com

      We have some smoking pipes done by the Kuba tribe in Africa that has this type of copper wire work done on them. --
David Wuttke, www.turtlefeathers.com

        I have seen a similarly colored gourd with copper wire inlay on ebay  a while ago. It was advertized as antique Japanese. -- Gita Landwehr, www.gitaland.com

This gourd is 17 inches high and 15 inches wide and has little white dots outlining some areas. Any advice on what indian tribe may have made this?

Cheshire Cat Gourd Rattle
Found in a Pennsylvania second-hand shop; antique, hand-carved, hand-painted; Dimensions: 9 1/2" x 4 1/2" (head/body section),  tapers to 1 1/2" diameter (tail section)

You'll note in the photos there are scraps of newspaper attached.  I believe at some point in its history it was wrapped in newspaper,  which got wet and adhered. I have not tried to remove it for fear of  damaging the painted decoration.  There's a small hole on each side.

 I'd welcome anyone's feedback on this piece, since I am not  familiar with gourd art.  I'd like to know where it may have been made,  how old it may be, and what it may be worth...or anything other info.
        REPLIES:
      The Chershire gourd I would conclude is from Ccochas Huancayo Junin Peru.I lived  in Peru for  20 yrs and I am familiar with the style and technique.Google> Mates-Huancayo on images and you will see similar 2010 work.The pyrography is done non electrically with the lighted tip of hardwood on which they blow to get the shading.This cat is also incised with a sharp nail awl. CCochas area has been doing fine Peru GOURDCRAFT from mid 1800's.Many are exported to USA but the very finest  etc, are sold directly to tourists or collectors. -- Gloria C. Joyce