doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Overpowered by engraving

...and underwhelmed by the gun.
Aussie gun writer Ron Forsyth, has said that the fastest turn-around time in gunmaking was the engraving - "three days or less" in most cases.
The better part of the gun was in it's fit and function, which might be up to a year in the making...why so cosmetic then gentlemen?
Is it not the whole gun that makes it great!

"Lipstick on a pig is still a pig" eh Lowell????

As I wrote when you posted this:

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...true#Post105723

Generally nobody bothers to put quality engraving on low quality guns - what's the point.

As treb says "Lipstick on a pig is still a pig". I have never seen anyone bother put lipstick on a pig.

Best,

Mike

I was shooting sporting clays the other day with a couple of guys that shoot Pirazzi O/U'rs one guy insisted I shoot his left handed gun. Nice gun....had to know what one cost like it $19000.00.
I asked the other guy how much his cost....$8,000.00. They said the big price difference was in the up-graded wood and the engraving.

Sorry but I just couldn't see it.

The point Mike is - that there are high grade guns with nice artwork that function/handle no better than the entry level grades.
Art does not make function.

When you pay more for a gun I believe you get a better gun funtionally as well as faciness. Like the difference between a Whitewing and a SO. You get better works too. Same with a Browning. You know what Alaskan Governor Sarah Poland always says: "The difference between a pig and a soccer mom........ Lipstick!!"................Denny Crane

Function without art is pointless and soulless. Otherwise we would all live in concrete cubes and shoot birds with a black synthetic 870 express. And the doublegunshop website would probably not exist. I would also argue that art is THE reason we are all here, in one form or another.

and



So why is the engraved gun underwhelming? Had they left off the engraving wouldn't the gun still be underwhelming? Or if the gun had the fit, finish, and handling qualities of a between-the-wars Purdey but no engraving would adding engraving make the gun underwhelming.

You seem to deride any interest and appreciation on this board of engraving. Do you have an example where Loy or Gough or Galeazzi engraved a Belgian clunker? Some of my favorite guns are German and English low grade boxlocks. They have excellent fit, finish, and handling qualities and very little engraving. Others have the same characteristics I just listed and have beautiful engraving and I like them very much also.

Quality engraving adds to the enjoyment, value, and attractiveness of quality guns.

Best,

Mike

Pigs are loyal and have good nose-brains--something like dogs. Unfortunately, they also taste better than dog.

jack

Mike every time Lowell sees this board talking about/drolling over an engraved Ithaca/Flues he brings this topic up!!!!