In the opinion of contributors to this topic; What constitutes best engraving ?
O.M
There is no answer to this I think.
I have guns that have full engraving in traditional rose and scroll that are clearly Best.
I have other guns that are perfectly executed fine border only. Personally I consider those also Best due to their perfect execution and fine form. I'm probably unusual here in that traditionally Best has a large element of Quantity added to it. Since the thread was with regards to English doubles I'm ignoring American/Western style engraving which has it's own icons but a very different style. Finally I'll say that there's another grade in my books, Very Best. Very Best I consider well executed engraving that is creative, beyond perfect execution of traditional forms whether it is photo realistic "Bulino" or perfect Rose and Scroll. Very few engravers show such creativity in my view; most stick to traditional forms. Prime examples would be the works of Malcolm Appleby and Rashid el Hadi. But I digress. Maybe ask on some of the engraving forums out there and you'll really get folks going I'm sure
Jeremy
