Separate but equal in my eyes. Both beautifully executed.

They look very much like subtle signature G's to me. I have seen a lot of engravers who did it as a practice.

I am really surprised at the scrolls in the first picture. It looks like pattern lines were traced out and all of them were engraved. Three D engraving would accent them, but they should have been visible as to top and bottom layer. That would have greatly added to the look. At least they would have looked like overlaying vines.

I’m sorry, but these just don’t look equal to me. Double click and compare, if you need to.

Exactly Dave. Not even in the same world. Thanks for expending and hopfully making it obvious.

After spending a career studying and helping others learn about aesthetics, I should have known better than to comment on those guns.

But, let me be clear: Gournet is as fine an engraver as there is today, and Brian's gun is a masterwork. If I wanted a custom engraved gun, I would seek Gournet's work...period.

Geoffroy is an artist! Brian, just how long did it take for that action to be fully engraved?

it was maybe 6-8 months. I do not recall.

Not a bad turn-around time for all that meticulous engraving.

I thought I would add a pic of ORIGINAL Parker engraving on a BHE from 1921.
Bob Jurewicz

Great post Brian!

There is no question in the difference in execution here and the Gournet gun being steps above the other. What folks should keep in mind beyond ability to execute each of the pictured guns is what if you had a choice when you commission the work. The engraver may say to you…….I can give you the first gun, loose scroll, less shading……or I can give you the converse of those PLUS……the deep shading behind the bouquet of flowers on the Gournet gun, exceptional! I have no idea what these guns cost but lets assume the Gournet gun was $7k as a base, the other gun might be $4.5K. What do you want, what are you willing to pay and where do those lines cross. What would be an unfair comparison is if both jobs were paid for in equal dollars……I know where I would go!

Thanks again Brian, you know I am a sucker for an upgrade!