BIG GAME ENGRAVING - Page 2

Mark Kircher · 01-10-2011, 02:11 PM

here is the bottom

Bruce Day · 01-10-2011, 02:15 PM

Mark, I would agree with the Parker expert, and he probably needs no concordance from a novice like me. There are a few with side panel engraved big game, but it is uncommon. The most common side panel subject, strictly through seeing a bunch of them, are pointers and setters.

My hunch is that most of the big game engravings were done before about 1912 or so. After that I think that shotgun game subjects prevailed, such as turkeys, grouse, pheasants, ducks, etc. The rabbit guns are interesting.

Here's a bottom plate on a B from the safe. I like it but engraving subject is one of those areas where everybody has an opinion. There are some folks that don't like big game on a shotgun.

Bruce Day · 01-10-2011, 02:25 PM

Mark, thanks for the photos of your gun. The bottom plate is beautiful ( and common) A work. The elk and moose on the sides are definitely different. Neat. Thanks for sharing. The animal engraving shows more muscular and blocky animals than what you usually see in Parker engraving. Interesting.

Mark Kircher · 01-10-2011, 02:27 PM

Bruce - Frankly - big game on a shotgun is "not exactly my cup of tea" but I cannot resist one of these unique guns when they come along. Variety being a spice and all. Thanks for the comments and photo. I really appreciate them.

Double Play · 01-10-2011, 03:24 PM

There was a restocked AHE with deer and elk on the side plates at the Greenwich show this weekend that the promoter had for sale. Sorry but no pictures.

Dean Romig · 01-10-2011, 09:03 PM

The engraving on the AHE Larry refers to was very well executed and the seller had been told that the big game animals on the sides of the frame devalued the gun but I disagree with that philosophy especially where the person giving that opinion was someone who wished to buy the gun.....
It is my opinion that the big game animals or anything engraved which is a departure from that which is considered the "standard for the grade" elevates the value of the gun if it is tastefully and artistically done.

Lotsabeagles · 01-10-2011, 10:51 PM

Bruce:

Do you have pics of rabbit engraving you could share?

Bruce Day · 01-10-2011, 10:57 PM

Norm, I don't. they were on my old computer and the hard drive crashed. They are on an AHE 12ga and are a wonderful, charming scene. There are two rabbits playing in a forest opening while a fox is watching intently from the trigger guard bow. The gun is owned by a shooting buddy and I can get new photos some time.

If you are a beagle guy, you should talk to Charlie Herzog. Charlie runs the small beagles and has had a national champion, runs trials regularly in Missouri and Illinois, and is a national field trial judge. He has a large plot with high fencing and keeps rabbits in there for the dogs to run.

Jeff Kuss has a gun with rabbits.

Lotsabeagles · 01-10-2011, 11:12 PM

As primarily a rabbit hunter, I'd be grateful if you and your buddy would be able to share at some point in the future. I guess it's too much to hope for beagles on the sides?

Bruce Day · 01-10-2011, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

...... the seller had been told that the big game animals on the sides of the frame devalued the gun .....

What a bunch of BS. If the guy didn't like the gun he should have kept his mouth shut and walked away. I don't get where some of these self serving "experts" come from.