Functional Art

As artists we often ask, “is this piece functional or for aesthetics?”

In early America, I imagine the question was more, “how can I decorate this tool?” Native Americans are known for their artistic decorations on their tools, weapons, and clothing. Early Pennsylvanian gun makers were not only craftsman, but were superb artists as well. When money and time were available, they would go all out with carvings and silver inlays on their muzzleloaders. The guns were often accompanied by a powder horn with some sort of drawing or map scratched or scrimshawed onto its surface.

Another tool, which has the same decorative properties as the powder horn, was the wing bone call, also known as the trumpet call, which was made from the wing bones of a turkey. The American wild turkey was a staple for native Americans as well as the earliest colonists and frontiersmen. It is the biggest game bird in America and was plentiful back in the day. Wild turkeys are very smart and can see seven times better than a human being. Because of this, hunting them can be very difficult. The best way to outsmart a turkey is to call and hold very still, and allow the turkey to come to you. 

I would imagine that most early Americans could imitate a turkey with their voice, but they also used turkey calls. There is evidence of turkey calls, mainly wing bones, dating back several thousand years. One of these calls is on display at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s museum. It is claimed to be 4,000 years old!

When a turkey is harvested, the wing bones are boiled and cleaned. The ends of the radius, ulna, and humorous bones are cut off and the marrow is removed. These are then fitted together to form a trumpet shape that is seven or eight inches long.

The sound is produced by putting the small end against your lip and giving it a short kiss. The trumpet shape magnifies the sound and makes a very realistic turkey call.

I have made several of these calls over the last few years. With practice they sound great and I have had gobblers respond to them.

I can only imagine the first guys that figured it out. They were probably sitting around the fire, enjoying a turkey dinner and sucking the marrow from the bones, when they heard a slight yelp, and, like most boys between the ages of 4 and 84, they kept messing with the bones and making noises until the turkey call marvelously evolved.

And then they probably thought, “how can I decorate this thing?”

Just like the Native Americans, I enjoy making things that are functional and aesthetic!