1890 AH Fine Engraving - How did they do this?

[Mark Ouellette]

I need to thin out the gun safe and I had thought about parting with this AH which was made in 1890. I mounted the trusty Nikon with a 60mm Micro lens on a tripod and got to work. The photos produced proved to me the err in my thinking. I decided that I had better keep this Parker.

I thought that I’d share with my distant Parker brothers why this is one to hang on to. Take a look at the fine engraving. Some of these dogs are less than 1/8 inch in height! How did anyone engrave subjects that small?

Let's start on the left side of the receiver,

[Jay Gardner]

On the floor, gasping for breath. Gawd, that's beautiful.

[Rick Losey]

oh my -

the dog are fantastic

and look at the scroll work.


thanks

[Mark Ouellette]

How about a few more photos?

Trigger guard

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_016_zps398e01f4.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_016-Copy_zps8b8fb684.jpg

Trigger plate

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_021_zps9e7d2c0d.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_021-Copy_zps6690fb61.jpg

Forward portion of the trigger plate

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_028-Copy_zps4bf51c0b.jpg

Birds hidden in the trigger plate!

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_028-Copy-Copy_zps41038208.jpg

Check out the fox! Where is Ansley?

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_028-Copy2_zpsc0d1251e.jpg

Right side of action

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_034_zpse78c27d5.jpg

Dogs on the right

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_034-Copy_zpsb753ea92.jpg

Right breach ball

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_047-Copy_zpsa0b641d3.jpg

Dog hidden in the marsh

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_114-Copy-Copy_zps57fd425e.jpg

Dog in marsh on left breach ball

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/Chesador/Parkers/AH%2059/AH59_125-Copy_zps443fdff7.jpg

[Jay Gardner]

It may be heresy but I'll take the dogs off a Grade 5 or Crown Grade Smith over any dogs ever engraved on a Parker.

[charlie cleveland]

what a nice parker the case colors remind me fall time of year....just to nice to take to the woods but something grand to show off to someone.... like us..... charlie

[John Havard]

Mark, what a wonderful, wonderful gun. Thanks for sharing.

A photography related question about your macro/micro lens. I too have a bevy of Nikon bodies but no macro lens. What caused you to choose the 60mm lens and what did you use for lighting while photographing this fine old gun?

Did you look under the trigger guard to see if it's signed by Harry Gough, or is it signed out in the open somewhere and I missed the signature?

[Mark Ouellette]

John,

Stephen Dodd Hughes recommended the Nikkor 60mm Micro for firearms photography. Nuff said?

The 60mm Micro allows a very sharp manual focus and close ups to a few inches. Ideally I would have about a 35mm of a similar design for whole gun shots and maybe a 105mm Micro for super close-ups. The 60mm will do most of that with a lot of adjusting the set up. I own a 18-200mm but it is hard to get a sharp manual focus with it. An old style split screen viewfinder would probably help.

The studio set up is a little complicated. I am still striving to figure it out!

I use a black background/drop kit from eBay, studio softbox lights bounced off walls and ceiling, and many, many adjustments to find the correct light reflecting off the gun. Note: We never see an object, rather we see the light that is reflected off it. Add a tripod, electronic shutter release, and practice, practice, practice. I buy my camera stuff that I can't find on eBay from B&H. Check their used department.

I hope that helps,
Mark

[Mills Morrison]

That's a keeper for sure.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks for the treat Mark.

[edgarspencer]

I'd bet John is right about the scroll work being Gough.

[Tom Will]

that sure is a beautiful gun and I love that scroll work. Thanks for letting us see it. I wonder how long it took for a master engraver to do something like this?