Gun Engraving

That's very nice!

One thing I've realized is that the more I look at older guns... the more I find modern offering kind of boring...

John-Blanch-12-ga-hammer-with-Purdey-second-and-BEST-Patent-Thumblever-Own-a-Purdey-quality-gun-for_101060257_23_D56CFF42D12716A2.jpg



John-Blanch-12-ga-hammer-with-Purdey-second-and-BEST-Patent-Thumblever-Own-a-Purdey-quality-gun-for_101060257_23_72F0C8355C0DF730.jpg

- John Blanch 12 ga. hammer with Purdey second Patent Thumblever
 
sillymike said:
That's very nice!

One thing I've realized is that the more I look at older guns... the more I find modern offering kind of boring...

John-Blanch-12-ga-hammer-with-Purdey-second-and-BEST-Patent-Thumblever-Own-a-Purdey-quality-gun-for_101060257_23_D56CFF42D12716A2.jpg



John-Blanch-12-ga-hammer-with-Purdey-second-and-BEST-Patent-Thumblever-Own-a-Purdey-quality-gun-for_101060257_23_72F0C8355C0DF730.jpg

- John Blanch 12 ga. hammer with Purdey second Patent Thumblever
Click to expand...
Here is what the first patent Purdey thumblever looks like, with a different lever pivot point from the second patent. As far as the engraving goes, once you get to the level of 'Best' in 19th century sporting guns, there is a distinct similarity.
QyiKrdw.jpg


Many thanks to Tiriaq and Licensed to kill for posting even earlier examples of engraving, on fine flintlocks. It is interesting to watch the evolution of engraving styles and patterns.
 
mbatten said:
I’ve never seen a flintlock pan and frizzen arranged like this.
Purely decorative, or is it intended to ‘waterproof’ the charge in the pan?
Click to expand...
This is what I call a “wave” pan configuration used by William Smith and then by Sam &Charles Smith. I don’t recall seeing this style by any other makers. While I have seen many guns made by the above mentioned makers, save one pistol, I have only seen this style of lock on Shotguns (fowling pieces). Rifles made by these makers carried a more standard “flat” pan/frizzen arrangement. It is my contention (and this is JUST my thoughts and NOT definitive fact”) that this was perhaps done so that when wing shooting, with the muzzles elevated above the horizontal, that the pan can remain somewhat “ level” when firing at a rising bird. This is only my reasoning and should be in no way interpreted as “fact”. I chose these lock plates because I think they look wonderful. Oh, yes, their design is also a “waterproof” design in the “stand alone” pan not unlike Mantons waterproof “V” pan.
 
Licensed to kill said:
Anothe example of early 19th century English engravingView attachment 862820
View attachment 862821
Click to expand...

Licensed to kill said:
This is what I call a “wave” pan configuration used by William Smith and then by Sam &Charles Smith. I don’t recall seeing this style by any other makers. While I have seen many guns made by the above mentioned makers, save one pistol, I have only seen this style of lock on Shotguns (fowling pieces). Rifles made by these makers carried a more standard “flat” pan/frizzen arrangement. It is my contention (and this is JUST my thoughts and NOT definitive fact”) that this was perhaps done so that when wing shooting, with the muzzles elevated above the horizontal, that the pan can remain somewhat “ level” when firing at a rising bird. This is only my reasoning and should be in no way interpreted as “fact”. I chose these lock plates because I think they look wonderful. Oh, yes, their design is also a “waterproof” design in the “stand alone” pan not unlike Mantons waterproof “V” pan.
Click to expand...
Very interesting! Your theory about the inclined pan makes sense too.

There's always something 'new under the sun' to be discovered with these vintage pieces; thank you for sharing the photos.
 
mbatten said:
Very interesting! Your theory about the inclined pan makes sense too.

There's always something 'new under the sun' to be discovered with these vintage pieces; thank you for sharing the photos.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your interest. It is just a theory and I would feel more confident in it had I not seen a single pistols, made by (I don’t recall if it was William or Sam &Chas) with this same lock. For now, I chalk it up to a pistol made with a lock that was no hand at the time. There WAS a LOT of experimenting going on at the time which provided us with quite an array of interesting engineering and theories being experimented with.
 
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