"This is a fascinating thread, and I don't know where it will lead.Richard Akehurst in his book 'Game Guns & Rifles' by the Sportsmans Press has a lot to say about the manufacture of Damascus, he mentions Greener's and the Birmingham Proof Houses Tests and concerns about 'inferior' Belgian wares.Ken Davies's H&H book 'The Better Shot' shows some gorgeous examples.Remember Iron Forging was perfected by my family (Big Head)here in the Severn Gorge ( Ironbridge)so I think our Museums may have some interesting data available. But where do we start? It must be remembered that Greener was a master of self publicity, did he do so much? or did he ride on the backs of many journeymen craftsmen who were only concerned with earning a crust?There is no doubt in my mind we owe a lot to Greeners for imparting the knowledge, but was there far more works of art lost in time?Or sitting in the archives of the Museums of Birmingham, Wednesbury, Shrewsbury? "
Thanks for a different perspective and insight. Greener probably would have made an excellent politician. Can you provide any references or descriptions with a timeline of the different Damascus types of the names you mention?
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
Last edited by ellenbr; 10/23/07 06:04 PM.
