We may never learn why a journeyman or apprentice engraver was given the harder task of engraving the dogs and birds. Scrollwork is generally easier to execute than trying to impart 'life' into a dog or bird, but they had to start somewhere and at least it was on the lowest of the graded guns. The chief engraver took on the task of the higher grade's elaborate decorations.
The quail on the floorplate resemble the work of Runge but more probably the engraver copied Runge's quail better than he did the dogs.
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