Thread: thoughts
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Old 03-19-2008, 06:57 AM
T.G.III T.G.III is offline
Steel
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 89
Default Re: thoughts

Since this post is speaking my language I'm gonna help you out.

As has been touched on before the expense in time to do work as has been pictured is emense, as the firearms became more avaliable they became more popular so had to be produced faster. The chiseled work was reserved for royalty and was presented as gifts, the functionality of a firearm was second to the art work.

Very few builders made all of the parts themselves, the parts were purchased from the various suppliers, finished and assembled. Many of the firearms such as you posted will have several makers marks on them, lock, stock, and barrel, not to forget the engravers, typically all from different guilds. Of course this is concerning works of the highest order.

There are several more books that relate to your post out there, probably the best is a two volume set called the Art of the Gunmaker vol. 1 & 2 by J.F. Hayward, I have yet to really get into them but they cover the art aspect of the firearms from 1500's through 1660 in volume 1 and 1660 thru 1830 in volume 2.

My interest in this topic comes from learning to engrave for the purpose of applying it to the muzzleloaders I build, an all in one package.

Plus I tried to win at this contest last year, wasn't happenin. I haven't bought Steve's equipment yet but I could.
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