I count 4, its held up on the far side. As on point!

No, enlarge it... It is on the near side but a dog's anatomy will not allow it to bend as the engraver has depicted.





.

that may explain the snarl

In light of today's mainstream "engraving" we may be counting a few too many angels on the head of this pin. The current issue of a popular sporting magazine reminds me that much of today's "engraving" is done with laser ... or laser/human clean up. Same with much of the chequering.

So... should we decry the foibles of a few real classic engravers because they may not have rendered perfect animal anatomy, or a balance of species? Or will the collectors of tomorrow justifiably rave about the precise robot-executed scenes on today's mainstream guns?

Personally, I prefer human generated art. Imperfect or not.

In fact, that's the only dimension that makes it art!

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;203018]No, enlarge it... It is on the near side but a dog's anatomy will not allow it to bend as the engraver has depicted.





Dean, you are correct, now I see it. Looks like it's broken down at the wrist. Still, I like that Classic low tail, just right for the time frame.

Correctly depicted anatomy is art. Incorrectly depicted anatomy is the mark of a rookie or apprentice who should never have been allowed to represent the gunmaker with his weakness.

I much prefer perfection.

Just my HO.






.

engravers were not hunters
 

I have a Prussian Sauer that has highly detailed and realistic engraved dogs. The detail is such that you can see all the feathering on the setter, especially under a 2x loupe. I hope the attached picture can be enlarged. George

the Germans tended to good game scene engraving

the point was that so often the engraving is not a match for the use of the gun.

but i still get a kick out of Dean's dog. My Dad painted as a hobby and was pretty good (i have one of my first retriever on the wall in the living room)- but he did one of a plains warrior on a war pony and had it hung in a show before he noticed the extra knee on the raised front leg :rotf:

I like Mr. Lang's Prussian Sauer with realistic hunting dogs and well done English scrolls,anatomy composition and perspective is what I encourage students you must learn how to draw take art class's that's the only way to be a successful engraver. Engravers in Europe & England go through a four year apprenticeship starting with drawing then it on to practice plates and maybe gun parts and after graduating working for a gun maker. J.J.