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Forums10
Topics39,491
Posts562,029
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Most Online9,918 Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,010 Likes: 1817
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,010 Likes: 1817 |
I like Smiths, also Lefevers, Fox, Aubrey/Meridens, Remington 1894 and 1900s, Ithacas, Bakers and even Parkers. Worse there are a few Crescents, Union Arm and other minor makes in my gun room. They all have a few potential problems but I like American doubles as a rule. What I hate to see are sloppy coats of True oil finish, crappy upgraded guns, any double with a Weatherby style or roll over Monte Carlo stock, fat beaver tail fore ends, Claro walnut or Maple where Black or even English was original, metal that has been buffed until it looks like chrome or torched to look like grapes or blue berries making love on the side of a gun and the hideous White Line Pachmyar recoil pad. Now to my long list I have to add engraving done by a blind man. Can't wait until I find a good pro-ported double. That ought to be real nice. We think very, very much alike. I would add to that list S x Ss with extended choke tubes, but unlike you I have already made my mind up about termite holes bored in ANY doublegun's barrels.  The first thought I had when I looked at that chicken scratching was ......... "cheap Spanish". SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651 |
That's a disservice to cheap Spanish guns. Ugly is very ugly.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 19
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 19 |
I'm thinkin Percheron. Note the small head, tapered snout... but still, definitely a draft breed. 
Last edited by Chuck H; 05/03/16 08:40 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 289 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 289 Likes: 7 |
Cheap scratchings are worse than no engraving, as low end Spanish guns illustrate so well. I call it the "dull cold chisel" school of engraving. Of course, cheap Spanish work has no monopoly on bad taste. A plain case coloured Spanish action is quite pleasing to me. Roll engraving raised the bar for economy decoration of wide empty spaces, as has laser engraving, when well done. When badly done it is no better than chicken scratching of an earlier era.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 694 Likes: 65
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 694 Likes: 65 |
Speaking of Spanish engraving, a gentleman has been pushing this 10 gauge double on a local board for awhile now. Many of my fellow Georgians have made quite flattering remarks about the construction, case coloring and engraving. To me, it is reminiscent of a Picasso http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads...2/#post-5822809
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,264 Likes: 92
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,264 Likes: 92 |
IMHO 95% of engravers should not attempt replicating any living creature......
Dodging lions and wasting time.....
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 648
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 648 |
A lot of this "cheezy" engraving reminds me of the chicken scratch that you find on many American guns of the early 20th century. You know what I'm talking about....the stuff that looks like it was scratched on with a old nail, shallow, squiggly and crooked lines, big and out of proportion sweeping scrolls and pretty much anything art deco. Tiffany lamps are cool like that, not so much for guns. With all that said, the beauty of any art lies in the eyes of the beholder. Some people find what I listed above to their taste, some find it an abomination. To each their own. Just remember that your favorite maker (to include custom gunsmiths/makers) probably put out some hot trash at one time or another.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,609 Likes: 14
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,609 Likes: 14 |
Dan S. W., that engraving is very 'art deco-ish'. Not really bad if you like that sort of thing on a cheap double. Pretty well done and artistic for what it is.
Last edited by DAM16SXS; 05/03/16 12:42 PM.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,217 Likes: 28
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,217 Likes: 28 |
Dan S. W., that engraving is very 'art deco-ish'. Not really bad if you like that sort of thing on a cheap double. Pretty well done and artistic for what it is. Concur. Not to everyone's taste, but as art deco-ey work goes it's pretty good.
fiery, dependable, occasionally transcendent
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 3
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 3 |
It reminds me of this Ithaca engraving, which I've always rather liked... 
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. - Albert Einstein
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