At first I thought it was one of a pair of identical guns, but I see that the numbering identifies the fore end that matches the correct barrel. Nice gun.
Gun Engraving
- Thread starter Pinfire
- Start date
At first I thought it was one of a pair of identical guns, but I see that the numbering identifies the fore end that matches the correct barrel. Nice gun.
I wanted to ease Ashcrofts very astute eyes and correct my mistake of not posting the pics with the original barrels and schnabel forend with Briley thin wall tubes. The barrels are 29.5" and 18.4mm bores which Ive learned are old school. I shot it the first time with the ported barrels and found it stiffer to shoot than my 725 sporting but the birds broke really nice. First round was wobble skeet and I shot 23/25 and my two misses were on station one high house. I never (rarely) miss this bird but apparently it can happen haha
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I see that your Perazzi is a Mirage model Longstud, thats a model you don't see very often. Following Perazzi design and development is confusing at best but it's my understanding that the Mirage came out in 1973 and was named after the type of gun used by Ennio Mattarelli to win the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with. Perazzi used the Mirage receiver as the basis for the Mx8 they designed for the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 and was discontinued in the Perazzi lineup when the Mx2000 was introduced. Being that so many Perazzi guns are custom ordered there is very little that can be considered standard configuration, practically every one of them is different. All of the older guns have 18.4 mm bores and I've always found that they seem to kick a bit more than the 18.7 mm bores on newer guns. My first Perazzi was an MT6, a beautiful gun in every way except the wood which was plain but it was definitely more uncomfortable to shoot that subsequent Perazzi's I've had.
That Mirage of yours sure is nice!
That Mirage of yours sure is nice!
Here's something different, from from Famars
- Stock and fore end in IVORY made by Amadini Luig
I don’t think you could legally import that into a lot of countries, likely including Canada.
Hmmm... About the 'ivory' stock, I'm tempted to call BS on this one, with no offence to Sillymike, whose intentions were to regale us with an exhibition-grade work of engraving by FAMARS's Luigi Amadini.
Call it professional curiosity from a previous life, I wondered how such a stock would be made, and from how many parts etc., and how it would be possible under EU-Italian regulations for elephant ivory and worked ivory, something I have a good understanding of. I also wondered about the feasibility of using solid ivory as gunstock material, from the point of view of recoil and vibration, considering the brittleness of the material, and weight, considering the density of elephant ivory. If made from two solid pieces, I doubt gunstock blank-sized pieces exist in Europe for commercial or non-commercial utilization, and importing such pieces into the EU is pretty much a non-starter.
Such a striking piece must be photographed, yet I haven't been able to find a single photograph or mention of it, through FAMARS (Fabbrica Armi d'Abbiatico e Salvinelli), or anywhere else, other that photo, which appeared on FaceBook. Strange, considering both the gunmakers and the engraver are prolific in providing photos of their extraordinary guns and engraving. The lack of any other traceable information is perplexing.
Of course, it could be imitation ivory. The photo is not quite of sufficient resolution to perceive the tell-tale characteristics of elephant ivory, and imitation ivory can be very convincing. Still, I could find no other photos, or mention of imitation ivory stocks of such dimensions. One remote possibility is mammoth, or fossil ivory. It would be heavier/denser, making it even more unlikely a gunstock material, and finding sufficiently sized pieces that would be blemish- or mineral-free, well, I wouldn't bet on it. It is also far more brittle, and unlikely to be workable for the inletting of sidelocks etc.
A one-off, exhibition piece for a wealthy elephant hunter, made in Italy with legally-acquired trophy tusks owned by the hunter... there might have been a time when this would have been possible. Not recently, and certainly not now. Some exceptions exist for pre-1947 antiques and pre-1975 musical instruments -- neither applies in this case. EU regulations on ivory are stricter than those required by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which allows non-commercial international trade in hunting trophies, including African elephant, when certain conditions are met.
If other photos do turn up, I would be interested in seeing them. OK, back to retirement...
Call it professional curiosity from a previous life, I wondered how such a stock would be made, and from how many parts etc., and how it would be possible under EU-Italian regulations for elephant ivory and worked ivory, something I have a good understanding of. I also wondered about the feasibility of using solid ivory as gunstock material, from the point of view of recoil and vibration, considering the brittleness of the material, and weight, considering the density of elephant ivory. If made from two solid pieces, I doubt gunstock blank-sized pieces exist in Europe for commercial or non-commercial utilization, and importing such pieces into the EU is pretty much a non-starter.
Such a striking piece must be photographed, yet I haven't been able to find a single photograph or mention of it, through FAMARS (Fabbrica Armi d'Abbiatico e Salvinelli), or anywhere else, other that photo, which appeared on FaceBook. Strange, considering both the gunmakers and the engraver are prolific in providing photos of their extraordinary guns and engraving. The lack of any other traceable information is perplexing.
Of course, it could be imitation ivory. The photo is not quite of sufficient resolution to perceive the tell-tale characteristics of elephant ivory, and imitation ivory can be very convincing. Still, I could find no other photos, or mention of imitation ivory stocks of such dimensions. One remote possibility is mammoth, or fossil ivory. It would be heavier/denser, making it even more unlikely a gunstock material, and finding sufficiently sized pieces that would be blemish- or mineral-free, well, I wouldn't bet on it. It is also far more brittle, and unlikely to be workable for the inletting of sidelocks etc.
A one-off, exhibition piece for a wealthy elephant hunter, made in Italy with legally-acquired trophy tusks owned by the hunter... there might have been a time when this would have been possible. Not recently, and certainly not now. Some exceptions exist for pre-1947 antiques and pre-1975 musical instruments -- neither applies in this case. EU regulations on ivory are stricter than those required by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which allows non-commercial international trade in hunting trophies, including African elephant, when certain conditions are met.
If other photos do turn up, I would be interested in seeing them. OK, back to retirement...
Really neat visual effect.
I wonder, what’s the manufacture date for this one?
Assuming it is real ivory, the functionality of the material raises some some questions.
Ivory cracks over time, it is really stiff and the density, from an unscientific observation, is much different than that of walnut.
I think it would be too brittle for repeated use and the screw holes would all be pressure points.
The same goes for the ebony stocked Beretta, that stuff is really dense, super heavy and stiff.
Not too brittle in this instance but certainly not suitable for a gun stock.
What about transferring recoil?
There is an Ivory Wood I think.
Also I had some White Holly stabilized which, because of the impregnated epoxy, sands and polishes to a high gloss with a semi translucent top layer/surface. It’s fascinating just how closely it mimics ivory. Really looks great.
I’ve worked with mammoth ivory quite a lot too. (** used to get it from a guy in Whitehorse who got it from the miners, something about ‘sluicing’).
It is very hard and brittle and prone to cracking, more so than ‘fresher’ elephant ivory....I guess 25,000 to 40,000 in the ice will do that to a tusk!
I think that the fossilized ivories are very beautiful, within certain applications.
Elephant and other other ivories also but I have to agree that the slaughter of animals just for the tusk material doesn’t seem worth it.
Fossilized mammoth can be quite special with it’s fine crossing grain and creamy/smokey white colours...the surface bark scales can also be impressive with the dark browns and blues.
I’ve got some stabilized mammoth tooth scales....they’re a little different....
However I have to agree with Canvasback that walnut is the superior gunstock material for sure, it simply looks great and is best suited to the job.
However, However I’d definitely take a small bore round body back action hammer with a pristine white wood stock and damascus barrels, grey or browned, the receiver with some lovely scroll engraving and blue nitred screws though, it would be a special piece....just to have one of.
I wonder, what’s the manufacture date for this one?
Assuming it is real ivory, the functionality of the material raises some some questions.
Ivory cracks over time, it is really stiff and the density, from an unscientific observation, is much different than that of walnut.
I think it would be too brittle for repeated use and the screw holes would all be pressure points.
The same goes for the ebony stocked Beretta, that stuff is really dense, super heavy and stiff.
Not too brittle in this instance but certainly not suitable for a gun stock.
What about transferring recoil?
There is an Ivory Wood I think.
Also I had some White Holly stabilized which, because of the impregnated epoxy, sands and polishes to a high gloss with a semi translucent top layer/surface. It’s fascinating just how closely it mimics ivory. Really looks great.
I’ve worked with mammoth ivory quite a lot too. (** used to get it from a guy in Whitehorse who got it from the miners, something about ‘sluicing’).
It is very hard and brittle and prone to cracking, more so than ‘fresher’ elephant ivory....I guess 25,000 to 40,000 in the ice will do that to a tusk!
I think that the fossilized ivories are very beautiful, within certain applications.
Elephant and other other ivories also but I have to agree that the slaughter of animals just for the tusk material doesn’t seem worth it.
Fossilized mammoth can be quite special with it’s fine crossing grain and creamy/smokey white colours...the surface bark scales can also be impressive with the dark browns and blues.
I’ve got some stabilized mammoth tooth scales....they’re a little different....
However I have to agree with Canvasback that walnut is the superior gunstock material for sure, it simply looks great and is best suited to the job.
However, However I’d definitely take a small bore round body back action hammer with a pristine white wood stock and damascus barrels, grey or browned, the receiver with some lovely scroll engraving and blue nitred screws though, it would be a special piece....just to have one of.
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.....I think I remember from back in art history class that the old Roman or Greek (?) Egyptian(?) statues were covered/wrapped in ivory that was then itself covered in gold leaf. Stone carved or wooden I can’t recall.
The ivory was soaked, maybe in a vinegar, that made it pliable and it was ‘unwrapped’ into veneer-like sheets that could then be pressed onto and wrapped around the statues, think wrapping something in wet leather that then holds its shape once dried.
The gold leaf then was applied to the entire surface. Quite impressive. A lost art for sure!
.....and I may have my facts a bit off, but nonetheless interesting
The ivory was soaked, maybe in a vinegar, that made it pliable and it was ‘unwrapped’ into veneer-like sheets that could then be pressed onto and wrapped around the statues, think wrapping something in wet leather that then holds its shape once dried.
The gold leaf then was applied to the entire surface. Quite impressive. A lost art for sure!
.....and I may have my facts a bit off, but nonetheless interesting
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
They have an interesting article on the time it took to produce one of their best shotgun
- To produce a Best London Shotgun takes approximately 1,200 hours of hands-on work by time-served craftsmen
Well worth a read, thanks for posting the link Thankfully the skills needed to make fine guns have not entirely died out. ‘Best’ guns are in a class by themselves, but well-made and beautifully finished second-hand guns, including ones with stunning wood and hand engraving, can be had for less than a new machine-made factory-line abomination, if one ignores unnecessary things like removable chokes and 3 1/2” chambers.
They have an interesting article on the time it took to produce one of their best shotgun
- To produce a Best London Shotgun takes approximately 1,200 hours of hands-on work by time-served craftsmen
If cost is say $100/hr and it takes 1200 hrs to build a best gun, that adds up to $120,000 which is about the starting price for a best SLE.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Usually not a fan of game scene... but that Lefaucheux Pinfire Underlever Double is kind of nice 
It also has a interesting history
https://www.collectorebooks.com/gregg01/pinfire/Lot-785.htm
It also has a interesting history
https://www.collectorebooks.com/gregg01/pinfire/Lot-785.htm
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Great looking gun. Handy for a right handed shooter but not so much for a lefty.
