One of most interesting aspects of the artisinal crafts revival in our 'New Victorian' era, has been a steady rise in the quality of contemporary work.
I first noticed it in the recreation of American longrifles when John Bivins, Monte Mandarino, Wallace Gusler and others of similar skill began to do work equal to the crafts of the Renaissance. Mannerist styles, Grotesques, Baroque and Rococco scrolls, and lush acanthus leaves adorned recreations of great museum quality historic arms.
The scholars and engravers heregathered will find the above paragraph to be the barest inadequate sketch of this revival, but Gifnee's interpretation of the historical artistic precedents speaks for its ownse'f, brudda.
We live in fortunate days, indeed, when such work and scholarshipis readily available at the click of a key. Mr. Hand's photo collection of original work is worth a book, for the edifcation of those of us not fortunate enuff to have studied these masterpieces.
The was a small exhibition within the past few years, called "Three Hundred Years of Gunmaking", or close to that. The catalogs are unobtanium, but well worth the cost for comparison between the modern masters and their predecessors.
Keeps those good pics a rollin' in, cowboys.
