Philipe Grifnee apprenticed under Rene Delcour at the University of Leige. Rene apprenticed under Felix Funken at FN. Rene was Felix successor as Master Engraver at FN. Rene is the only person to ever hold a Doctorate of Engraving from the country of Belgium, a unique honorary degree that was bestowed on him for taking the gauntlet in hand to further the art thru his efforts at the university. I first met Philipe in 1976, when he was 24, if memory serves. He was traveling with Rene, still his student at the time, for a summer respite at a remote hideout and was already wonderfully skilled. He has only gotten better and his abilities are amazing over multiple types of execution. Rene had his students drawing scrolls for a couple of years for starters. It was his opinion that scrolls were the very hardest form of engraving to execute with perfection and if one could not draw one perfectly then how could anyone be expected to execute one in steel perfectly? I have judged much engraving on just that basis since. The Brits certainly have and have had it well in hand. Full coverage small scroll engraving is not only tedious, it requires the master's touch to be done correctly. Large scrolls fall within the realm of very few, as does properly executed border inlay, like a 'funeral model' might display because any error jumps out and is instantly magnified ten fold. I think that some of us who are not artists do not fully appreciate the effort and the hours that are dedicated to this particular form of art.
Here, we are most fortunate to have some of today's fine artisans willing to share their insights, passions and perspectives with us and even their methods of work. It makes this a very special place indeed. And IMHO, it also helps us to better appreciate and value their talent.
Thanks for the post, Brent. Now a question, is it 'normal' to have the first bbl trigger chequered and the second smooth? I'm not double rifle literate, and some of the time not very shotgun literate either.
