Col. Carl Dumke, USAF is a twenty-two year career military man stationed in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dumke comes from a military family going back to the birth of our nation. He is married to Jennifer a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a self-described “horn widow.” Dumke has three children; their ages are twenty-two, eighteen and twenty years of age. Dumke is also a folk artist, who creates one-of-a-kind trade signs in 18^th century style. One would think that this avocation would satisfy his artistic needs, but not so. While visiting with Jim Leach, who is a Journeyman Saddler with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and long-time horner and HCH member, Dumke was exposed to horn work .  Jim’s wife asked Dumke if he was a “horner.” Dumke said, “A what?” Dumke soon found out what a horner is.  After viewing Jim Leach’s work, Dumke was hooked. Two and a half years and tweny-five horns later, with a class with Roland Cadle under his belt and advice from horners like Art DeCamp , Carl Dumke is emerging as a horner whose work is artistic and authentic. Dumke likes horns that are not overly sophisticated; the ones he imagines were made by military men during an engagement. Dumke believes many F&I War horns are commemorative pieces made by paid horners after the military action and he prefers the horns with a more primitive feel. Dumke started out making Revolutionary War and F&I War styled horns to honor the Patriots in his family tree and hunting horns for his non-military ancestors. Dumke toys with the idea of creating his own horn to commemorate his tour in Afghanistan. We at the Honourable Company of Horners thank Col. Dumke for his service to our country and look forward to seeing his own campaign horn!

Carl Dumke does take on commissions for trade signs on occasion. You may reach him through his email address, which is cdumke99@aol.com.

The Jonathan Bagley Horn (by Carl Dumke) Dumke identifies with Col. Bagley and wanted to make a horn to honor Bagley’s engagement against the Iroquois and French at Fort William Henry. Here is a series of photos of a campaign horn in period style inspired by the horner John Bush. (The pictures are lightened to show the detail of the horn.)