favorite engravers of all time???

Ron Spokovich

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
436
This one is impossible to answer, at least for me. There are the old masters, in various countries, that have their own unparalled styles. I have a different appreciation of each. Exquisite work is done by so many. Again, impossible to answer.
 

Dani Girl

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
1,110
Location
NSW, Australia.
Alfano for sure. I have never seen anything that can rival his work, his style is my favorite. I've seen lots of individual works that I've loved from heaps of different engravers... but Sam's just the best in my mind.
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
10,490
Location
Covington, Louisiana
Thank you Dani :)

Rediscovering Ken Hunt's work has been (and is being) a great experience. The sheer volume of incredible engraving and in such a variety is mind boggling. And quality and variety of his designs is astonishing.
 

Texasgerd

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2012
Messages
139
Location
Panama City Florida
As a non-typical answer. I put these down not as some of the greats, but those who have advanced this trade as individuals. Not members of a company.

--Steve Lindsay for what he's made w/ the air gravers & palm control (have you ever see the guts of one of them?)
--Ray Cover, and the GRS cadre' for the unwashed masses you've trained over the years
===Sam for hosting and administering this collaborative forum
 

Marrinan

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
2,917
Location
outside Albany in SW GA
I recall when Marcus announced the retirement of his father. It was a shock to the whole engraving community. Engravers, gun companies, collectors and gun enthusiasts alike. It was mentioned I believe that he was going to concentrate on other artistic activities. Periodically I have done web searches to try to find what he has been up to. I dreaded the idea that there might be some private issue that was not for public disclosure. I have also looked for the work of his daughter but to no avail. I have certainly enjoyed and rejoiced in hearing and seeing some of his current activities Thank you for the up dates and sharing Sam., Fred
 

silvermon

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
74
Location
Davenport, Iowa
Wow, there have been really a lot of names of great engravers. When I read the question, the first name that came to my mind, before I had time to think about it, was Anton Marinov. After reading everyone else's comments I realized I thought of Marinov first because of style. Not necessarily 'first' in design or execution but he brings his best game all the time and I think it shows. Just a humble opinion of mine. :thinking:
 

zzcutter

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Messages
326
Location
Berks Co. Pa.
L. D. Nimschke, Lynton Mckenzie, G. Sherwood, and Sam A. When I started engraving back in the 80's. I called Jim Kelso for some advice and he told me to get Nimschke's book. This was great advise as I loved Nimschke's style, it looked good from close and far which is what american gun owners wanted on there guns those days. So from there I got Lynton's vhs tapes and just loved his simplistic style. And then I joined the Cafe and saw Sam's work which I consider the modern day progression of lynton's scroll. I think todays trends have gotten to the point of over shading and over complicating scroll design. I always try to remember less is more sometimes. This is why these are my favorites and I have tried to incorporate a litte of all there styles in mine over the years.

I must say too, I would always stare at amazement of Winston's work, even work he did 30 years ago will stand up to todays work, for he is probably the greatest american engraver and also very well rounded in all the other gun working areas as well, but just not my favorite style.

ZZ
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Messages
30
Location
Elmira, Ny
well lets see now..

Steve Clouser- Sundance Engraving- 2 Ruger revolevers 1 single six. 1 sp101 1994 & 1995

Leo Bala - Remington Custom shop- Pocket knife 1995

Ray Phillips 4 engraved key chain panels 1998

Jim O'Reilly- Winchester Custom Shop- 1 9410 2003

Heidi Roos- Ruger Studio of Art and Engraving- 1 Vaquero 2007

Jim Wark 1 9522M Winchester- The Sound of Liberty 2008

Tom McArdle- Doug Turnbull Restoration- the Light of Liberty- 9422m trapper 2012

Joe Seeley- American Gunmakers Guild- Walking Liberty- 9417 commissioned 2014

Then there are engravers I have met
Marty Rabino 1995
Mike Dubber 1998
Paul Lantuch 2004

Robert Kain RIP, RCA Single six purchased 2009 enjoyed my conversation with His Widow Alvina Kain

Lastly there are my teachers
Jesse Houser - Montgomery Community College 2009 & 2011
John Shippers -Conner Praire Interactive History Museum- 2014
 
Last edited:

Eugene Carkoski

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
370
Location
Omaha, Ne.
I believe the jury's gonna be out for some time on this one, there are so many excellent engravers in this country with Sam ,Steve and Berry and many of you
online right now reading this. The tools and techniques that are available today have been able to make vast improvements in just the cuts made 50 years ago.
So all of you that are out there cutting stand up and take a bow.
 

Chujybear

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 3, 2011
Messages
1,079
Location
Haida Gwaii
I feel like I already jumped in on this.... But I can't find it.
Charles Edenshaw needs to be on this list.
 

Roger Bleile

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
2,988
Location
Northern Kentucky
An interesting note is that the guy who started this thread has not visited this forum or commented in this thread in over four years.
:thinking:
 

Mike_Morgan

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
359
Location
Spencerport, NY
I was inspired to engrave because of an affinity that I have for engraved musical instruments, particularly drums and bagpipes. In the world of Drum engraving there is really nobody more accomplished that the wriggle-master himself, Adrian Kirchler. The work is simple embellishment, but it elevates the instruments from being ordinary right up to the level of art.

 

AndrosCreations

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
464
The most popular single engraved piece of all time was done by an engraver by the name of M. Jackson who passed on several years ago... I think the piece was entitled "Thriller". It was engraved in platinum and then individual replications were made to the tune of about 65 million copies sold... bringing engraving to a much broader and younger audience.

I myself prefer the humble work of Stevie Wonder, who, despite being completely blind, learned to engrave at a very young age and went on to be quite successful. :cool:
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    23.6 KB · Views: 119

Rstripnieks

Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2016
Messages
91
Location
Austria
My favorites are
Steve Lindsay
Rashid Al Hadi
Barry Lee Hands
I like them becouse their work seems different in my eyes
 
Top