chance discovery

Last week my friend and fellow engraver Andreas Luck from Switzerland called me and we discussed the second hand gun market. The reason for that was that a very fine hunting rifle with engravings of Mr. Johann Singer was offered online through a well known Vienna company.
During that phone conversation I clicked on handguns…. Very much to my surprise I found a revolver with one of my early engravings offered. http://www.springer-vienna.com/stores/index1_3_5.php
This engraving I did for my diploma as master engraver back in 1980 when I was 22. I was in Vienna for this weekend anyway, so I took the chance for taking some decent pictures of this piece before it is going to disappear in another collection… The revolver is a stainless steel S&W Mod. 66 and I remember that the cylinder was very hard. It is full relief chasing work with inscriptions flat inlayed in gold and a relief inlayed lion head.
In the first picture the gun rest on the drawing. The background of the second picture shows my source of inspiration for this engraving, so called “Maureskenâ€￾. These are ornamental motifs of the Renaissance period that originate from the Islamic art and were in fashion in Europe around 1550.
Martin

Guten Abend Herr Strolz!
Ein herrliches Stück Arbeit - sehr beeindruckend. Die Abbildung unter dem Revolver - ist es die Reinzeichnung zu Ihrem Meisterstück?

Im übrigen habe ich Sie nicht vergessen...

Herzliche Grüße
Mario

Martin,

This is a very nice story, and the recent visit to see your early master-work must have been a moving experience! How nice that you got to revisit the piece and get some nice photographs. I wonder where this S and W will go, it would be nice to some day visit the owner, unless perhaps some one buys it for your Christmas gift?

What amazing work for an engraver in his twenties!

Best wishes!

Rod

Martin,

That is just fantastic work!!!

Kevin

Very nice, it's got to be a treat to see something youve put part of your soul into just to see it leave, then mysteriously return for a short time.

Thank you for showing that, Martin.
A wonderful piece of your history.
Marvelous work and gives a new meaning to Full Coverage.

Do you have any idea of what price they were asking for this Master work, if I may ask?
It is a true rare piece of engraving history and I hope it goes where it can be in public view.
Best regards.

Thanks for looking and the kind comments.

Jetta77, when I have finished a piece like this, I usually loose interest in it, as the process of drawing and engraving is done. At that time I am most interested in the next project! But I love to have pictures and prints of my engravings.

John B., I wrote you an email...

Martin, John B. said it just right, Great ...
Jerry

I'm sure you passed your test with flying colors, Martin! What a pleasure it must have been to find this historic piece of engraving. Very tastefully engraved and a joy to behold. Thanks for showing us. / ~Sam

martin: just a beautiful fabric woven in metal !

If only I had the dineros..
in fact its was that gun that opened my eyes on gun engraving, it was pictured in a book in the 80s.. somewhere..
and is still one of my all time favourites.. seems like Martin started off like a pro and been engraving already in his cradle:thumbs up:
just gorgeous piece of metal