George, nope it is not signed. It is the classic Jeffery style though from the early 1900s. This rifle was made in 1906.

I think this style is so bad that it is good in a way.

I will say this it does look better in person, but the old style tigers and gaurs are pretty simplistic to say the least. I've read the engravers worked from drawings not photos.

I had asked Marty Rabeno if he could do something like that were you just draw it and he sent me this pic as an example.
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The 2 last ones are definitely outclassed and do not compare with the artwork shown previously.

It was sarcasm.

Did Shootaway just demonstrate incredibly poor taste in addition to the usual lack of proficiency? Or did i misunderstand? ^^

Norsk, I do not believe George was being critical at all.

I was attempting to be humorous and being sarcastic by posting a picture of the really awful (but quaint) period engraving on my 1906 Jeffery double rifle as a comparison to the previous posts of some examples of very high quality scroll and wildlife engraving.

I'm sure if we were all standing around actually holding these rifles and I said that the horrid engraving on mine was the best, everyone would know I was joking around.

It´s matter of taste but I like this Marty Rabenos engraving work very much. There is enough room around it which makes it to look very modern despite it's performing art.

Progress photos from Bob Strosin prior to sending to Classic Guns for case coloring:

I have finally received the finished rifle,
I have seen this rifle.
One the best .577 I have ever seen.
You can be very proud of this masterpeace.


The game scenes are by M. R.
He is imO the best engraver in Germany, then it comes to photo-realistic animals. (There are better for other styles, for art or scrolls, but not for that...)

quote:

Originally posted by PSmith:
well, I suppose those engravings of the buffalo and elephants are pretty good...but nothing like this masterpiece of the engraving arts:

...................

hat is not well done no mater what it is, but it isn't a cape buffalo but an Indian bull Gaur. A lot od un-engraved doubles were shipped to the Army&Navy outlet for the soldiers stationed there. Many of these where engraved by local native engravers and not only of Indian animals, but not very well done either!

........................Mac

The engraving on my Westley Richards box lock is quite nice

a

I wish someone would post some old engraving from the top end BPEs and Alex Hendry etc.

One can never get tired of looking at such pieces of art.

When actually handling such rifles it is real Man jewelry!

Google search images of gun engraving, all kinds.
Also, surf this website: http://www.engravingglossary.com/

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
hat is not well done no mater what it is, but it isn't a cape buffalo but an Indian bull Gaur. A lot od un-engraved doubles were shipped to the Army&Navy outlet for the soldiers stationed there. Many of these where engraved by local native engravers and not only of Indian animals, but not very well done either!

........................Mac

Mac, this rifle was sold by Jeffery in 1906 to Lyon & Lyon of Calcutta so you may be right.

I'd just save the money from such elaborate (and expensive) engraving and buy another rifle :-)

Some incredible work by Roland Baptiste for those with really deep pockets:
http://rbaptiste.com/rbaptiste.com/Gallery.html

For sidelock rifles and shotguns, I really like Holland style scroll most, but also like Purdey style rose and scroll, illuminated high-relief (like on Grenadier's paradox or the AyA #1 Deluxe models), and bulino. But unless bulino is very good it can look like a cartoon.

I also like the thicker German style engraving, particularly on a case-colored gun.

I like Western Scroll with lots of stippling on SAA's.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'd just save the money from such elaborate (and expensive) engraving and buy another rifle :-)

And then sell it!

I like this man's take on engraving.

quote:

Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey in Cheap v. Best Guns, With General Advice on the Purchase of a Gun

How often have I heard it said by a shooter, that he does not care to pay for the engraving of a good gun. Little does he know that engraving is the cheapest part of the weapon.... I should never fear that engraving was put on a first-class gun to hide inferior work; it is applied as an ornament and finish— as a frame to a picture. But I always suspect engraving on a cheap weapon, as by such means it is easy to conceal bad fittings and materials.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
The engraving on my Westley Richards box lock is quite nice

a

Lovely, just lovely, Oz!

I like many kinds of engraving on rifles shotguns and handguns. I also like some case coloring as well. But like engraving there are specimens of case coloring that are simply applied to the wrong type of firearm IMO!

On rifles that are suited to hunting things like squirrels and other small game in the hard woods of North America, I like well done oak leaf and acorn deep relief engraving. Double barreled shotguns for bird hunting I lean to English Scroll & Rose engraving. On a double rifle made for dangerous game in Africa I like a combination of case coloring, fine scroll, with a well done bust of buffalo or elephant on the belly of the action.

The one thing I see as over the top are engraving of naked women on a double rifle that seems to be very popular with Italian engravers on rifles made for serious hunting of dangerous game, and as far as I’m concerned that has no place in firearms decoration at all.

In the final analysis, firearm decoration is simply a personal thing, and one type will not satisfy everyone.
...................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
In the final analysis, firearm decoration is simply a personal thing, and one type will not satisfy everyone.

I'll second that...

Lowly Army & Navy

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Lowly Army & Navy

The engraving on that rifle is beautiful and typical of the upper grade doubles from England. Though the rifle may be named "ARMY&NAVY" but I would bet my money on the rifle being made by Wesley Richards and it is not a field grade rifle.

Very tastefully finished!

The ARMY&NAVY consortium was similar to the US Military PX where goods were sold to active military personal, but in A&N's case the products were labeled ARMY & NAVY no matter who made them.

I have a Wesley Richards double rifle that looks to be engraved by the same engraver but not a full coverage as yours.

Frostbit:
And you expect to be invited to the double rifle shoots with such "lowly" rifles?
Well, maybe, under Affirmative Action rules you can be allowed. You know, the quota system.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
I wish someone would post some old engraving from the top end BPEs and Alex Hendry etc.

The Greener and Weatley are nitro guns but nice as well.

Beautiful!

Huvis thanks for that.

I once handled a couple of Alex Henry double rifles and just the feel of the gun in hand and how it mounted was unbelievable. Those were 1890 or earlier guns!

Those are truly beautiful. This is a really nice thread and thank you for posting.
I love to see some of these rifles...
It's a dream for most of us to be privelaged to hope to own such a fine firearm someday.