DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

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Miles
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DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by Miles »

Hi, I'm an outsider so to speak. I'm interested to know a little about Dykehead Horn Products. I am assuming it is no longer there and wonder if anyone knows the dates (approx) it was trading. Also if anyone can supply pictures of products the know to be Dykehead I am interested to see. I already have references for Penguins made by Dykehead.

Thanks....Miles
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morag
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by morag »

Hi Miles,
I have a thistle made by Dykehead Horn Products. I'll see if I can get my son to post a pic. Ebay has a few of their carvings for sale. I think if you do a search on this site there is another topic in which DHP is mentioned.
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Miles
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by Miles »

Thank you Morag.

It was on ebay that I found the name of Dykehead and through that this site as it is as you say mentioned on another thread on here.

I have a number of ships and birds made of horn and am interested if I can attribute them to where they were made. Ships appear to have been made in Italy, England of which I have confirmed evidence and now apparently Scotland (Dykehead). Birds I am interested in were made in Africa, Scotland and France. They were also made in India but they are not currently of interest to me.

As I mention below, people say all sorts of things about the place items come from. I have bought Scottish made birds said to be African and Japanese, also French birds said to be Japanese and African where in fact they have a makes mark on them which I have confirmed to be French.

There is currently a ship on ebay said to be by Dykehead but sometimes people attribute a name to an item when it is not so which is why I am asking if anyone has item they know for sure came from Dykehead.

If the model currently listed on ebay is indeed Dykehead then I can attribute others as the model is distinctive in the the sail on each mast is made from one piece of horn sectioned in three sails where as other models the sails are all seperate

MILES :D
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by Hughie »

Hi Miles,
I recall the cottage selling the horn products on the road between Kilwinning and Irvine - from what I understand horn products were made there going back at least to the 1940s. There is mention of the business by George Weir in this topic reading further into the topic it's mentioned again.

Hope this helps.
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by Miles »

Hi Hughie, thanks for the info. I found an advertisment which for Dykehead Horn Products but it only shows a brooch. Still interested if anyone has any pictures of birds/animals known to be Dykehead. I have a couple that possibly are, the person I bought them from said he bought then off the grandson of someone who worked at/was Dykehead though he also has one he says is Scottish but I know it to be Indian which is what I mean about people assuming rather than knowing for sure where they came from.

It is more of an interest to me rather than great importance as to if any are Dykehead or not, just if I can narrow it down it is interesting.
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by sweet caroline »

Little place down Watercut Rd.on the main Irvine Rd.from Kilwinning.Not sure if a building still stands there ,and can be seen from the motorway.Remember visiting it as a child.Not sure if Mother bought anything,but i liked what i saw .
Buildings are still there ,but not sure if they are the same ones.

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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by morag »

Miles, my thistle has a label on the base giving the company name and Made in Scotland. My mum sent it to me as she knew I liked that wee shop. :)
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by abla43 »

Hughie, There used to be a cottage industry called something Horncraft in Irvine. It was just off the Redburn roundabout and down a short track. Could tthis be the one you refe to or another? Cheers, A.B. PS it was still there in the 70's but not now . If it is the right one I can try to find out when, how and why it disappeared.
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by jarneilh »

I can remember a "John Lowe" from Misknowes, Stevenston. Who used to make a varierty of horn products. He operated from someplace close to the Redburn. My brother in Queensland still has a sailing ship that John made but the label is missing from the bottom of the boat.

More information on the above. Mr Jimmy Lowe used to work beside my father at ICI. He left ICI of course and set his two sons, Jim and John, up in that business in Dalkeith outside Kilmarnock and they made a variety of products with the bone they got imported over from Kenya.

All the best Jim.
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Re: DYKEHEAD HORN PRODUCTS

Post by Jimmy1960 »

I was 1 of the horncraft man at dykehead from 1977 to 1993. But it moved to more modern factory in stevenston around 1980 later change it name to CB Gifts. Including Heathergems. Then move again to Irvine around 1994 I think. I now live in England. I think it closed now move some productions to Blair Athol and use mainly heathergems rather than horn craft.
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