Another Engraved Colt on Gunbroker

Southern Custom

Southern Custom

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After looking at the "engraved" 1911 on a recent post, I was curious to see what else is available on gunbroker. I found this Python. While it obviously took competence with the tools to do this, it also shows why one should spend as much time as possible learning to draw balanced designs and studying proper scroll form before laying in a yard of gold wire. My humble opinion of course. Apparently someone likes it as the price is up to nearly $4000. I can't find anything on the engraver.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=438845012#PIC
bad colt.jpg pix950418695.jpg
 
Southern Custom

Southern Custom

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Glad I'm not alone. This was engraved a long time ago apparently and I couldn't find anything one the engraver. If it was done by someone currently active I probably wouldn't have posted it but I thought maybe something could be learned from this.
LZ
 
DakotaDocMartin

DakotaDocMartin

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It has more dog-legs than a whole pack of hounds! I'd describe it as "gut-wrenching" to look at. It's better to ruin a pile of practice plates than to go ahead and ruin a Colt.

Too bad we did away with certain methods of administering justice: :eek:

 
KCSteve

KCSteve

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It's one thing to be a bit off on your scroll spines.

It's quite another to gold inlay them to massively highlight the problems.
 
Barry Lee Hands

Barry Lee Hands

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I would not be too critical here.
This is someone, possibly in Japan, copying Bob Burt.
Burt was one of the colt custom shop engravers in the 70s.
It was probably done around 1970 something for a US serviceman stationed in Japan for 50 or 100 bucks.
It is what it is.
 
Marrinan

Marrinan

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BKJ, Dog bones are another name for elbows. Follow the gold lines and see what is meant by the term. My dad was a guest at Baton during the second World War. The Japs collected the gold teeth fro the prisoner and sold on the black market. It ended up in items like this. Fred
 
Roger Bleile

Roger Bleile

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Barry Lee Hands said:
I would not be too critical here.
This is someone, possibly in Japan, copying Bob Burt.
Burt was one of the colt custom shop engravers in the 70s.
It was probably done around 1970 something for a US serviceman stationed in Japan for 50 or 100 bucks.
It is what it is.
Click to expand...

Barry,

I agree that it was someone trying to imitate a style by Bob Burt but I'm pretty sure it was not done by a Japanese engraver. Japanese scrollwork on guns has very distinctive cuts and I don't see that in this piece. Nevertheless, I can't say that I recognize who did the engraving.

Roger
 
R

Riflesmith

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I'm in agreement with Barry, it is what it is! I myself make plenty of mistakes so who am I to critique someone else's work unless asked. The ambiguity of the engraver leads me to assume they are neither alive or dead and perhaps they were really proud of the piece, perhaps it was the only piece they engraved. Can I see the mistakes on it? Yes! I only hope I don't make the same mistakes. It has its appeal to someone or they wouldn't have bid as much money on it as they did. It is what it is and it is permanently in the steel.
 
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