A hearing trumpet made from animal horn with an extended flange in old silver plate.

Animal ear horns are one of the earliest form of hearing aid used by man and this is one dates to the late 18th early 19th century. It is made of three pieces of what is probably cow horn which have been joined together in two sections. One at the end to add an earpiece at right angles and the other, midshaft to increase the length. The trumpet end is further extended and expanded by a flange of old silver plated metal. The underlying copper can be seen coming through or “bleeding” at the edges of the trumpet. This section has been secured to the horn by means of anther pinned horn ring.

• From the Phisick collection