engravings by Winston Churchill
 

Hello,

i am an engraver from Germany and since i have seen the engravings by Winston Churchill i am a huge admirer of his works. I already bought the Colt .45 Eaton book aswell as American Engravers from the 21th Century. But thats not enough for me. Unfortunally, the contact through his page always gives me an 404 Error and i dont know how to contact him. Can anybody give me an advice how i can get in contact with him?

I found out that he should have engraved a Parker Gun aswell. Are there any images existing from that gun? It should be with english scrolls.

I am searching any pictures i can get from his works in hope to improve my own engravings. I would appreciate it if someone can give me some high resolution images from his works so that i can study them. I dont want them for free, of course.

An engraver from the Engravers Cafe Forum told me that there are some magazin articles about his work exist aswell. Unfortunally i did not remember the magazines. Can someone give me some information about articles in sporting/hunting magazines with his works? The only magazin i know is the Shooting Sportsman, which i already have now.

Greetings and thank you for reading,

Daniel

Send Allan Swanson a PM. He's friends with Winston Churchill.

Exactly what I would have advised Chuck.






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Here is a Remington Model 32 engraved by Winston --

https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=101325058

The Engravers Guild website is your best source of Winston's work. Remember, "Google is your friend"

Daniel

A friend just emailed me to check this heading on the forum, Use my email address to do future correspondence--- ahs482@sover.net

Allan

Thank you for your answers!

And thank you to the friend who informed Allan!

The Guild page is the FEGA page? Unfortunally i havent found images from Winstons work there. Or is there another guild page?

I was paging thru an old Shooting Sportsman yesterday evening and saw the 28 ga VHE that Winston engraved and upgraded. It was the July August 1999 issue. You may be able to purchase an old copy from them.

Jack

Thank you Jack!!

Thats the one with the cover showing two shotguns laying on a grey table?

Mr. Churchill is also an amazing sculptor!






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Yes it is the one with 2 shotguns and some engraving tools.

Jack

In his book, Fine Gunmaking - Double Shotguns, Steven Dodd Hughes dedicates the lion's share of a chapter in that book in dissecting Winston Churchill's ornamentation of a custom 28ga. Parker. Although it is not English scroll, it is to my eyes, a whole lot more interesting. Hughes' book is available through amazon.com as well as other sellers. A few pics of that gun's engraving:

What an amazing talent Mr. Churchill has. Mesmerizing....




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Thats the reason why i am trying to find as much images as possible from his engravings :p

Thank you Greg, that a great hint! The book is already ordered.

Thank you Jack, i ordered 6 issues from the shooting sportsman magazine with articles about Winstons work.

An example: "Masters Reward"


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...06a22940_z.jpg

FEGA has a membership level that gives more access than you get by just reading their forum.

Please forgive my ignorance... what is FEGA ?





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In the pictures, above, would that style be described as arabesque or foliate... or somethingvelse?





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Firearms Engravers Guild of America
www.fega.com

There's a variety of engraving techniques going on that Churchill used on the little 28ga. Parker. Steven Dodd Hughes described it as "decidedly floral with light and airy vine scroll".

I’ve never heard that description before - did SDH make that up?





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Like I had mentioned Dean when I posted the pics of the gun, SDH devoted a lion's share of a chapter in his book Double Shotguns describing the engraving of that gun. He wrote those words and a whole lot more. I boiled his description down to just one phrase.

As I understand it, Winston isn't engraving anymore due to a health issue.

Very true Edgar.

Thank you Greg.





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The health condition Winston has is mentioned on some engraving forums but I don't feel it appropriate to mention on forums so I won't do it here to maintain his privacy. As for photos of his work, there simply aren't that many of them. He isn't engraving anymore and hasn't for several years. The last project he started was a Colt SAA collaboration with my friend Damien Connolly who ended up having to finish the job due to Winston's condition.

He hasn't engraved all that many guns over his career as compared to some who have done hundreds. He is self admittedly an"agonizingly slow" engraver and is probably why his game scenes in particular are so photographically realistic and rival the realism of the Fracassi's, Lovenberg and the like, just top notch work.

The fact that there are not a large number of his works viewable by the public enhances his exclusivity and few ever surface for viewing or for sale. Most of the photographs taken of his work were taken by him and he never just sent that stuff out like people do nowadays. Why, I don't know, maybe client related.

Well here goes---

As many know, Winston is a close friend, his health issues have certainly effected his daily life & his professionalism . It certainly an understatement to say his engraving was spectacular, in my eyes it was/is outstanding, from A to Z.

A gifted person with many talents, someone on this forum said he took his own pictures, that is a fact. I have many of his photos that he has signed and mailed to me ,along with letters . We have just moved from Vermont to Maine , I put all together in one big box for safe keeping.

A little side note---the VHE Parker 28 I purchased from Herschel that satisfied the eyes the eyes of both, shipped it to Jerry Fisher in Montana --he scalloped the receiver , polished same ready for Winston to perform his magic---Jerry then stocked the 28. The client at that time also owned the " Chamberlin" gun.

Allan, you once gave me a fold-out color pamphlet that you got from Winston of some of his work.
Would it be appropriate for me to post some of those pictures here?





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Dean

Your choice----do as you wish.

Allan

Most people only knew the man as an engraver, but his sculptures were so good, that if you didn't know about him or his reputation, you would think he was a sculpter first.

I've never seen one of Winston Churchill's engraved guns in person. I know his works command high prices. This link is an example of a revolver he engraved http://www.hallowellco.com/smith__we...Churchill.html. His works take an ordinary gun to about 100 new levels.

Ken

One wants to believe Churchill also made the beautiful case it is displayed in.





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Winston Churchill Grip Cap
 

I’ve had this Winchester Model 42 for many years with a tiny bit of Winston C. engraving.

fine work for sure...model 42 s are special.....charlie

Are you referring to the SAA Colt recently finished? I looked all through this thread trying to figure out what case or gun this comment refers to.

There is a Colt Winston started engraving I think back in 2008 or so that he wasn't able to finish and our friend Damien Connolly who designed and built its case took over the remainder and finished the engraving. It was a joint venture from the beginning anyway, and that is the readers digest version of it.

If you scroll down far enough on the Hollowell Smith and Wesson, and reduce the screen to show the whole gun, you will see the case that Dean refers to.