Made time yesterday to take a few shots of the completed Fox project I've had in the works. This started as a Sterlingworth. The concept was to create a contemporary clays gun.
General consultation by Bill Murphy.
Research and design concepts by yours truly.
Engraving by Ken Hurst in North Carolina.
Stock, metal sculpting, barrel bluing and general gunsmithing by PGS in PA--Anthony Patti & Dan Rossiter, who became the central craftsmen on the project.
Mechanical gunsmithing by Glenn Fewless.
Stock finish and checkering by John Reese in Montana.
I got lucky and found some very talented people to work with.
Plan to write an article about the experience.
Hope y'all enjoy these photos.

Berle Cherney

That sleek little Fox frame lends itself perfectly to all kinds of custom work!!! Love It and nice job!!

OUTSTANDING. look forward to the article.

H&H

Great job, Berle! Looks like it is ready to break some targets. Be careful not to let Murphy get any fingerprints on it!!

It's hard to top something like this. Very, very few people can come up with a different engraving concept than game scenes and scroll work and pull it off successfully like you have done. I think this gun ranks up with the top 5% of engraved guns in the world. It needs to be featured in a book.

That's striking, no doubt. I would like to see more of the stock also.

Berle,

The art deco design of the engraving is outstanding. That took vision on your part. What a great idea, to use designs that were popular during the period Foxes were built to be the basis of the engraving patterns. I am, and never have been a fan of art deco design in furniture, architecture or sculpture. BUT!!!, this is fabulous. You have designed and collaborated on creating a truly beautiful gun.

I'm more of a basic guy when it comes to competition guns. My favorite sporting clays comp SxS is a Browning BSS in 30". But, I can certainly appreciate what you have done! I hope it shoots for you as well as it looks.

Your gun Berle is the most unique custom Fox that I've seen. Not exactly to everyone's taste for sure, but that's part of what makes it so unique. I must say that I'm warming up to it upon seeing it in completed form.

Congratulations!

Very very cool!!! Well done!!!

Anthony and I are very thankful that Berle gave us the opportunity to be a part of such as excellent project. The end results are nicer than either of us could have imagined.
Thanks again Berle

I like the engraving, and would really like to hear the story behind it -- Art Deco eagle & accents; a caduceus; vines with grapes; daisies? on the trigger guard; two stylized birds. I know there's a story there -- what is it? Thanks. Stanley

that is an outstanding gun! Bobby

Stanley:
Thanks for your kind words. I was simply looking for Art Deco designs that were appealing and would compliment the various canvas areas of the receiver. Other than the caduceus, which came from a photo I had taken years ago, I spent hundreds of dollars on books, scanned the designs I liked and met with Ken Hurst. Within an hour we agreed on which designs would be appropriate on the various canvas areas of the receiver. Some decisions were left entirely to Ken, who did a terrific job of blending the relationships of the various designs. The trigger guard design came from an Art Deco privacy screen. If you want more, I'll be happy to speak with you.
Berle

Great job! Unique to the n'th degree. And there seems no better gun to build these custom beauties on than the great A. H. Fox frame. If Ansley was not broke all the time just imagine the historical guns that would be out there today.

tim

The art deco engraving absolutely knocks me out!! I am stunned by its beauty and execution. You and Ken Hurst have created a masterpiece - very possibly Ken's "swan song" - the one ultimate work by which he will be immortalized. Congratulations on a work of art . . . I'm still trying to warm up to the sculpting of the wood . . .

Berle, very nice work indeed! I saw your gun several times over the months while in progress at PGS Services, and was looking forward to seeing pics of the completed project. I hope you'll be at the NE Classic Shoot along with Murphy again this year and you bring the Fox with you. Frank

That is a really "Cool" looking piece for sure!!

Not only does it show great vision on your part,....but it looks like one hell of a serious target gun!

LOVE IT!!

CJ

Frank, apparently my friend, Berle, will not be at the Northeast Shoot. He would like me to take the as yet unnamed sporter with me to the shoot. I don't know if I will, in fact, do that. I like to sleep at night, not worry about losing a gun to thieves. My travelling guns are all rustbuckets for that reason. By the way, Researcher, I only fired the Fox two times on the shakeout and still haven't missed.

Very nice Ken! Very Chrysler building, especially on the top tang! Love it.

DBLTRBL --- SOOO glad you spotted the work on the top tang and related it to the bldg. I had to have it upside down to fit the area --- the rest of the design came from the same bldg.
I'd also like to thanks the rest of y'all for your kind words BUT, I have to credit Mr. Beryl for his hard work researching and printing all the pictures he gave me to work with. There were many many pictures of artdeco to work from . Mr. Beryl took the time to set down at the kitchen table and go thru them with me in order to determine what design should go where --- he was really the designer of this piece, I only cut the lines and such.
High prase should also go to Glenn Fewless , Anthony & Dan , Classic Guns inc (for the greyed case hardening). They all worked/played well together to make this project come together easily & quickly. For me, it was a pleasure working with them & I look forward to doing so again.

Hey Ken,
Well I'm a big fan of art deco design and the Chrysler building is at the top of the list. The eagle gargoyles are another touch from the building. I really don't like NYC but it would be worth the trip to see that building up close and inside. I think you captured it perfectly. I would not expect any less from you.

I especially love the cranes, Ken those are wonderful and different.


Who did the checkering? Did I miss that somewhere?
Brent

John Reese in Montana (first post). customdiamonds.biz

Indeed. I guess I was too preoccupied with the spectacular pictures.

Brent

Berle has left out what I would have included. I wonder if Ken would do a 1934 Airflow on the water table, or maybe inside the forend?

EIGHTBORE --- surely you don't jest Sir. However , the forend would have to be annealed, engraved & re-colored and greyed. BUT, if you talk Mr. Beryl into it, I'm game.

I'll see your airflow and raise you a 1936 Stout Scarab. It doesn't get ant more deco than this.

Wow! Great set of wheels. This gives me an idea for my next gun project.
Berle

I got an idea for you Mr. Beryl ---- buy that car, send it to me and I'll engrave guns all over it.

Outstanding idea, Ken!
We could show it at both gun and car events.
Berle

Beautiful, beautiful gun Berle! Kudos to all involved in making it come together. A work of art indeed; looking forward to the article! I am glad it came together so perfectly Berle. Congrats!

T. Boone Berlin

Berle,

Your gun is even more impressive in the hand! Congratulations once again. Thanks for letting me fondle it this afternoon.

Best,
Curl

Valmet13,
I really appreciate and want to thank you for allowing your Fox to be on display at the Southern SxS Spring Classic this weekend. The photographs, as good as they are, just do not do the gun justice. It is superb and a testimony to a lot of hard work and first-class craftsmanship.
NCTarheel

TTT

I espescially like Kens use of a Turkey fan in the art deco engraving.

Thanks jOe, I missed that.

That is very cool.

Best,

Mike