Roger Bleile
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
It is with great sadness that I relate the passing of Steve Fjestad.
Steve was my editor, publisher, and more importantly a good friend. After the challenges of writing a book about gun engravers for another publisher in 1980, I had no intention of trying another. It was with Steve's encouragement, guidance, and support that my next two books came to be. As a result, Steve, Scott Pilkington, and I attended the IWA show in Nuremberg, Germany then traveled to Italy where we visited with all of the prominent engravers. Everywhere we went, Steve was greeted like a brother. I felt like I was traveling with a celebrity. It was a trip I will never forget.
Steve was a connoisseur of gun engraving and personally knew most of the world's prominent engraving artists. He was also a great supporter of the Firearms Engravers Guild of America whose members will feel his loss profoundly. Steve was also the publisher of the Italian Master series of books featuring Pedersoli, Terzi, the Fracassis, and the Pedrettis.
Each year my wife, Cathi and I would attend the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show and the NRA convention where we were Steve's guests. Cathi came to know and love Steve like everyone who knew him. We were both devastated by the news of his passing.
It is natural for people to say nice things about one who has just passed on but during Steve's life, I only heard positive comments about him from anyone who had ever met him.
Requiescat in pace Steven P. Fjestad
Below are images of Steve with Scott Pilkington and me in Brescia, Italy and Steve with my wife Cathi and me at the 2016 NRA convention. Note Steve's humorous "Doctor of Gunacology lab coat.
Steve was my editor, publisher, and more importantly a good friend. After the challenges of writing a book about gun engravers for another publisher in 1980, I had no intention of trying another. It was with Steve's encouragement, guidance, and support that my next two books came to be. As a result, Steve, Scott Pilkington, and I attended the IWA show in Nuremberg, Germany then traveled to Italy where we visited with all of the prominent engravers. Everywhere we went, Steve was greeted like a brother. I felt like I was traveling with a celebrity. It was a trip I will never forget.
Steve was a connoisseur of gun engraving and personally knew most of the world's prominent engraving artists. He was also a great supporter of the Firearms Engravers Guild of America whose members will feel his loss profoundly. Steve was also the publisher of the Italian Master series of books featuring Pedersoli, Terzi, the Fracassis, and the Pedrettis.
Each year my wife, Cathi and I would attend the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show and the NRA convention where we were Steve's guests. Cathi came to know and love Steve like everyone who knew him. We were both devastated by the news of his passing.
It is natural for people to say nice things about one who has just passed on but during Steve's life, I only heard positive comments about him from anyone who had ever met him.
Requiescat in pace Steven P. Fjestad
Below are images of Steve with Scott Pilkington and me in Brescia, Italy and Steve with my wife Cathi and me at the 2016 NRA convention. Note Steve's humorous "Doctor of Gunacology lab coat.