Lovely Example Of Old-School Engraving

Engraving is generally not my thing, however I am in awe of the talent and patience that it has to take to do a project like that.

I imagine a gentle soul listening to classical harp while etching away on that gun. Peaceful.

C

I imagine a gentle soul listening to classical harp while etching away on that gun. Peaceful.

Click to expand...

I doubt Messrs Smith and Wesson would have approved of a harp being played in the factory. I doubt it was very peaceful work to be an engraver at S&W during the 1870s, 80s, and 90s. Yes, along with fabulous skill Gustave Young must have had extraordinary powers of concentration, because he was working ten hour days. No matter what your job was in the 19th Century, if you worked in a factory it was far from peaceful.

That's a great example of art applied to a gun.
Check out this Tumblr blog; they have a bunch.
http://pimpingweapons.tumblr.com/archive

My philosophy about engraving is simple: Either do a good job or don't bother. That is a good job.

The most amazing thing is.
They almost worked in the dark, prior to electricity.
Setting by a window when the sun was out.

And nobody wore any kind of safety glasses or eye protection other then an engravers loop on one eye.

It's a minor mystery to me how all those old guys kept steel slivers out of both eyes long enough to learn that kind of extraordinary artistic skill whittling on steel with a tiny hammer & chisels.

rc

That's pretty much how the best engravers still do it, but they don't use a hammer. This article is about the writer's tour of engravers in Italy.

www.barryleehands.com/an_american_engraver_in_brescia.htm

Giancarlo Pedersoli



www.gianfrancopedersoliengraver.it

Firmo Fracassi and his daughter Francesca have a 236-page book on their work.

www.csmcspecials.com/Gianfranco_Pedersoli_Master_Engraver_p/m0102.htm

He's a genius.



So is she.



From www.handengravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=606

Well, there's engraving and then there's THAT! What an unbelievable level of skill.

Every time I see the work of some of the master engravers, I am simply in awe.

True artistry in metal. Thanks for sharing these works of art.

that receiver is just fantastic! absolutely beautiful!

My wife is a jeweler and engraver. I'm still in awe of the precision it takes.

-Jenrick