One of the first guns I engraved

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,489
Location
Covington, Louisiana
I was in a local gun shop today and noticed an engraved S&W Model 29. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was one of my first gun engravings. I never dreamed I'd see this gun again. I engraved around 1980 or 81. The guy said it was an original factory engraved gun and I corrected him on that and pointed to where I'd signed it. He'd been misled as to its origin. Anyway, I got a kick out of seeing it again!
 

Attachments

  • 44-mag_2.jpg
    44-mag_2.jpg
    98.3 KB · Views: 377
  • 44-mag_1.jpg
    44-mag_1.jpg
    368.7 KB · Views: 381

leo

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
131
Location
Cape Coral FL
what I have notice Sam from my experience in the engraving world is that every gun I find engraved in local gun shop I always have the curiosity of inspecting them and most of the time the clerks are miss led to where the gun came or who engraved it or they give me my favorite answer we are having an expert coming in next week if they tell me that or it was engraved by a famous gun engraver I always say to them do you have some kind of paper work on that and you see them back up my advise to them is come to the forum or Lindsay and join so they could get some answers because I assume that every gun engraver would love to see earlier work of his making and wont mine acknowledging his work and the story behind it
 

Bama

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
370
Location
Alabama
Tod - my sentiments exactly - if only my first will turn out that good.
 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Oct 3, 2008
Messages
4,221
Location
Belgium
Looks great to me for a first or a more recent one.
It is always a pleasure for me as well when you see some of your work you did years ago.
Sam I suppose this one pleased you seeing it again after all these years.
That is one of the reasons we always have to do the best we can on a job, could be frustrating when you face a job that don't

arnaud
 

atexascowboy2011

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
997
Nice, Sam. I agree with Arnaud.

So what kind of price tag did the shop have on it, pending appraisal by an "expert"?

For those starting out and short of funds, this weapon was more than likely done by hammer and chisel. Sam ?
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,489
Location
Covington, Louisiana
The price is $4000. Not bad I think. The grips are ivory.
This was most likely done with hammer & chisel. I did have a Gravermeister for a short time but I don't remember using it on this gun.
Yes, it was great to see it again. The engraving is not so good by today's standards, but it was my best work at that time :)
 

Ed Westerly

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
1,224
Location
southern California
Hi, Sam, and welcome to the forum. Thanks for posting your first gun engraving. Here's where I can see areas where you can improve what you've done here...
 

Marrinan

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
2,917
Location
outside Albany in SW GA
Sam, I seem to remember Lynton talking about seeing some of his early work trying to be sold at his current skill level. Seem he mentioned it in his presentation on the business end of engraving seminar tape. He had a lot of good advice for newer engravers on that presentation. Some about fine English scroll as I recall. His favorite but had only done one job in it in the USA. Know your market stuff. That was a pretty gun you did and was sure taken care of. Thanks for sharing. Fred
 

Phil Coggan

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Messages
1,147
Location
South Wales
Yes, it was great to see it again. The engraving is not so good by today's standards, but it was my best work at that time :)

Sam, I also see some of my old work now and again, it is nostalgic but sometimes I have to cringe a bit. The way I see it is that it's a part of the story, it's history in a way. I have posted a few very early jobs here, my first portraits, game scenes etc. Good on you for posting there are probably quite a few that wouldn't.

Phil
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,489
Location
Covington, Louisiana
smoke_pulls.jpg
Sam, I also see some of my old work now and again, it is nostalgic but sometimes I have to cringe a bit. The way I see it is that it's a part of the story, it's history in a way. I have posted a few very early jobs here, my first portraits, game scenes etc. Good on you for posting there are probably quite a few that wouldn't.

Phil

Cringe indeed! But yeah, it's all part of the story. Here's a smoke pull I found which dates it to July 1980. This was probably the first decent gun engraving I did. I learned a lot on this piece and felt I could really become a gun engraver. :happyvise:
 

Sponsors

Top