Something other than lettering

[dclevinger]

I finally get to post something besides lettering. This is the top snap of a Westley Richards 12 ga. boxlock that I'm upgrading. The scroll style and pattern are based off of some photos of a "Best" grade drop lock. Right now the rest of the gun is in various stages of completion. Please feel free to comment and critique. Thanks.

David

 

[Ron Smith]

Nice job David! Can't see anything wrong with that.........forward!........Ron S

 

[ddushane]

Wow! David, looks nice to me! Keep it up and thanks for sharing! Dwayne

 

[fegarex]

Very nice David!
More fun than lettering too, huh?

 

[dclevinger]

Thank you very much guys.
Rex, it is much more fun than lettering. I really like the way the double backbone cut looks but what a time consuming "PITA".

David

 

[chris]

hi
david loverly work clean neat traditional would like to see that in double cuts in your scrolls bieing a english style the single cut is the quiker version double dearer or more time and a little more depth with double and so easy to do im sure marcus could explain his home land engraveing better than me
great work thanks for showing
chris

 

[D.DOUGLAS]

David, Looking good!

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hey David

Looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that looks as though you need to send me photos for the "you know what"

Cheers
Andrew

 

[FL-Flinter]

Awesome work!

 

[dclevinger]

Thanks everyone. I'll try and get more pics when the rest of the gun is finished.

Andrew, email me details of what you would like to do.

David

 

[Marcus Hunt]

David, I’d like to give you some advice to help improve this piece and help to give both you and others an understanding of English small scroll if that’s ok?

You can obviously cut very well and there is nothing wrong whatsoever with your graver control so my critique is more about comprehending the actual scrollwork and it’s execution rather than picking over what and how you’ve cut.

The first thing that hits the observer straight away is that this is single rather than double cut ‘inside work’. The term ‘inside work’ denotes anything that falls within the spiral spine or ‘ringing’ of the scroll; likewise, ‘outside work’ is anything outside of the ringing. Single cut inside work was only ever used on lower quality guns (such as Webley’s) because it was fast, cheap and commercial to produce. Double cutting the inside work takes longer and denotes quality so it was used on the ‘best London’ guns from Purdey’s to Boss’ as well as a myriad of smaller makers who wanted to show that their guns were as good as the big names. So, unless you are following a specific brief or pattern I would never advocate that any engraver ‘single cuts’ their inside work. It looks cheap compared to the double cut. It’s my guess that you are following a particular pattern because you have the technical ability to execute the double cut, no problem, and this in turn would elevate the scrollwork to another league entirely.

Now I get on to the next thing that hits me smack between the eyes. You have posted the photo of the top lever, which is fine, but are you now considering it to be in it’s finished state? Where is the shading??? At this stage the job is only half finished! Every scroll needs to be shaded where it joins the adjacent one. Likewise, the final shading cut in each and every one of the scroll heads is missing. Also, the outside work should be finely shaded onto the back of the scroll. This will lift your work and give it life and take it away from being 2 dimensional and flat.

Finally, spiral your scrolls more. Don’t hook them in too soon. You have room to fit another smaller scroll inside the larger ones which will make your inside work of a better proportion. If you fail to do this you run the risk of having to fill a large, disproportionate space with inside work and this can lead, if you’re not careful, to the ‘dumpy’ looking scroll that lacks grace and interest or worse (in my opinion) the scrolls some people term ‘Escargot” (snail).

Properly executed English Fine scroll is amongst the most beautiful, understated and timeless scrollwork in the world. Wrongly executed it is amongst the most maligned and misunderstood. I hope, in the near future to help put this right. Andrew has asked me to write an article about it for The Engraver magazine and I would love to use this picture, with your permission, as an example of work in progress ‘single cut’ English scrollwork.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

As a post script, and having looked at the picture again, if you are tapering a symetrical design it is generally better to finish at a point using a fleur de lys rather than a scroll coming from one side. Just being picky, sorry.

 

[chris]

hi marcus
sorry to put you on the spot marcus but if you want the best opinion go to the best i didnt think there would be anyone better to explain buitiful english scroll like you and you certanily did that for all
thank you
chris

 

[PS_Bond]

Maybe a daft question, but is there an idiot's guide to the different scroll types anywhere? What I believe I can see as a distinguishing feature there is what I know as a snub-penny scroll; is that valid? Is that peculiar to English scrollwork?

 

[dclevinger]

Marcus, thank you. I was hoping you would have some comments. The photos that I'm working off of, which were described as a best quality gun, only have the single cut inside and no shading what so ever. I also prefer the double cut inside but the customer wants to stick with this style. Although, I think I will add a little shading to dress it up a bit and I'll talk to him about the inside cuts.Thanks again for the advice, I'll take all I can get.

I'll email you about the article.

David