Engraving Appraisal

atexascowboy2011

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So, Fred, are you saying that the letter "G" needs to be added for some of the Gun Broker guns ?
"G" equalling God Awful ! ;)
 

Marrinan

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TexasCowboy, Yes that is what I was hinting at. A lot of the ones attributed to a "Master" engraver. Most of these guns are out of Florida and give the impression that they are Master level work by stating they were done by a master engraver. A real case of buyer beware. I wish someone would write articles or FEGA do an educational portion at their tables when they setup as to what the public should be looking for. I have seen web site that talks about him being true hand engraver (no power assist) and the work is terrible. He might even be the one selling on Gun Broker. Fred
 

Brian Marshall

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The problem Fred, is that images of "bad" engraving versus good or excellent engraving would have to be in the article or shown in a display... compared side by side.

You might have a wee bit of a problem with that - if it was done - unless the "bad" engraver was long deceased?

Or maybe you could get a good engraver to do "bad" engraving for "illustration" (teaching) purposes?


Brian
 
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Marrinan

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Brian, I know I am capable of providing samples of bad to awful engraving if samples are needed though I don't do bright cut at all so it would defiantly be awful as would be any animal human or bulino work. Matter of fact I think I could go to my used practice plates and find all the bad and awful required. Some might even be signed. Fred
 

Roger Bleile

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Regarding these ads touting the awful work done by "master" engravers; Someone on this forum wrote several years ago "no matter how good or bad your work is, when someone else is selling it, you will immediately become a "master engraver." Every hack job I have seen on an auction site was proclaimed by the owner to have been done by one of these "masters."
 

Southern Custom

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After I was referred to as a Master Engraver in a magazine article, the next time I was approached for publication I specifically told them, "do not use the term master engraver in this article". Two weeks later I was a master engraver once again. People just can't help themselves.
For a moment I had the thought that people don't do this with other professions but thinking back, people always want to offer their referrals as "the best" of whatever the trade in reference might be. It's as if they would only employ or associate with a Master of the craft, be it a mechanic or plumber. I think it's to bolster our confidence in the choices we have made.
Of course there are cases where the term is used to fleece folks of their money. There are plenty "Master" con men at gun shows.
 

jerrywh

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If there is only one customer in the world who will pay you $100.00 an hour for your work that is all it takes. Therefore it is like Sam says, It is worth what the customer will pay. Nobody can appraise that. Ask and you shall receive. One time I sold a car for a real nice price. A man across the street asked me , How did you ever get that much for that car? I replied simple I asked for it. Everybody is not poor. Some people have an enormous amount of money and fulfilling their desire is more important than what it cost.
 

LVVP

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:tiphat::tiphat:
Layne, there seems to be two opposing approaches to gun engraving...you can go at it for the art or for the money. If you go for the art, which is my approach, you won't make much money, at least from an hourly standpoint. If you go for the money, you won't make much if any art. Depends on what kind of customer you want to work for in the long run.

PS...there is a lot of territory in between the two end points mentioned above. Everyone has to find their comfort zone.

So far, this is the best answer.

Thank you Sam W.
 

Big-Un

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Just the other day I heard a gentleman refer of me to someone else as a "master engraver," something I definitely don't consider myself as being, but he just needs to be enlightened. No matter how much you try and correct the error, it doesn't seem to take, so just smile and give no response unless you are talking directly with the person. Sad, but that is the culture within which we live.

Bill
 

Riflesmith

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I, for one, agree with Sam, it's about personal taste. Or rather, the eye of the beholder. When I show a piece that I have spent a number of hours on I always watch the persons eyes and how long the engraving draws them in. I have observed that a pattern doesn't have to be exactly executed, but, it has to flow from one end to the other and hold their interest. I've also found that if you can fool the eye you can fool the mind. If a person picks up a piece that I have done and their eyes can't seem to leave the piece or return to it again and again, no matter how well executed, I've created a worthy piece. I do not consider myself an artist nor much of an engraver, I just like to scratch designs in metals and listen to Pink Floyd.
 

StanT

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BlackHills, SoDak
Riflesmith, your three sentences leading up to your last statement belie your perception that you are not an artist. You are most definitely an artist as opposed to a technician. Your recent Kimber post shows "pleasing to the eye" will often trump "minute detail under a microscope." Thank you for posting your work and your views.
 

didyoung

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people are just weird.
some can see the value of good engraving....while others don't have a clue.
I just posted a bracelet that I engraved.
the customer wanted a bracelet with her name on it.....nothing specific as to her ideas. she said that she really liked my work and that she would love anything I did.
so I got her bracelet finished......sent it off and thought everything was fine.
the customer contacts me later......its not what she wanted.
her name was to small and the bracelet didn't have any flowers on it.
turns out that she wanted her name to run the entire length of the bracelet.
so I get the bracelet back.
flatten the bracelet ......engrave her name on the reverse side and added a flower on either side.
it is engraved as plain as I have ever done.
she loves it!!!
go figure!
is it possible she has problems introducing herself to people...or she just cant remember her own name?
it does not matter.
my view of value and some other persons idea of value didn't match up.
I secretly hope that her friends see the underside of the bracelet and question her as to why the underside looks way better than the top.


the customer is always right......if they like what they see .......they will pay to have that specific item......good....bad or just plain ugly.
that's what makes the world go around.
 
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