Absolutely Stunning!!!! Just Wow!!!!!


Thanks for Sharing.



Bobby

Here is your action fresh back from Turnbulls for Case Color.

Attachment 132357

Attachment 132358

Attachment 132359

Attachment 132360

Attachment 132361

Attachment 132362

Absolutely stunning engraving! Not to take anything away from Brian's equally outstanding work but what a lasting tribute to the late great Geoffroy Gournet. And likely one of his last completed commissions. RIP Mr. Gournet.

I'm more than a little shocked about this news about Goeffory - Brian D - sorry for the email chaos in your messages - i needed to take a deep breath and get organized - This project started last July and I knew it would take a good while to get finished but who could have imagined this situation. Geoffroy was always very nice to work with and very encouraging on the project. He is much too young to have this happen. Just sad all around.

Much has happened since the last post so I thought I would give a final update on this A1 Special project. As you all know Mr Gournet passed in March of 2025. I want to thank Brian Dudley of the forum who as it happened had just received the engraved pieces back from being case hardened. Brian was very helpful in pulling the last few steps of the project together.

After a bit of time passed I was able to trade some messages with Geoffroy's wife Virginie and we had a nice phone conversation - I was pretty torn up by this unfortunate situation and it was a tough call to make.. Hard to ask a grieving widow to worry about suddenly small things like FFL paperwork and shipping hassles.. We worked through the details in May and I received the gun in June.

Virginie was absolutely all class in helping to work through the final steps and shipment of the finished gun. I just can’t even put into words here the many nuanced meanings of this project.

There was a little stretch of weather here a few weeks back that allowed me to take the A1 out. I was nervous as all heck and thinking about Geoffroy and the gun and how well Virginie had treated me on the project.. The old cliche of - yah, i'll never forget that hunt. Managed to drop a fat rooster and get some pictures. Was out with a guy I have known since the early 70’s and it just really hit home that we are not here for a long time. It’s a pretty fast ride and I’m just thankful to still be on it.

Not sure how often I will take this in the field but I am sure happy I got it out this fall and wanted to share a few pictures and kind of put an end cap on this.. many thanks to those who followed along.

What a totally stunning shotgun and fitting tribute to the so very talented Geoffrey Gournet! Thank you for sharing it with all of us. It’s a vicarious thrill for me and I can only imagine how you felt when that first rooster leaped skyward and came cackling out of the grass!