Help, please: Looking for best place to buy engraving books

MICHAEL

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I have been thinking of purchasing the Winchester book of engraving and the Colt engraving book. The best price for an excellent condition book that I can find are on R.L. Wilson's web site. $175 for the Winchester book and $390 for the 2 volume Colt engraving book, and if I want to add the book on fine Colt's add another $100 dollar bill.
Those of you who have these books, are they worth that much money? Is there a less expensive place to buy them? I found a reprint of the Nimsckhe book for $90.00 new but haven't had any luck locating these other books at less cost. Any help will be appreciated.:tiphat:
 

Sandy

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I am not totally sure but I think the 2 Volume Colt engraving books and the Winchester book are out of print. A friend of mine just bought the Winchester book last week. It was from a web site he found on the web. I think you will be surprised by the cost of the Colt books.

Check out this web site. They have the Winchester book for $165. www.trackofthewolf.com/?p=BOOK-WE - Cached
 
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DKanger

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Michael,
Go to abe.com and search for them by author. I recently got a new copy of the Winchester book for $25.
 

MICHAEL

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Winchester book of engraving and the Colt engraving book. I have searched and Sandy has found the least expensive price ($165.00) on the Winchester book for me. Tried Abe.com DKanger and cheapest was $180 used (thx for trying).
These are the books I have.
Nimschke Firearms Enragaver
Colt an American Legend
Colt Single Action from Patersons to Peacemakers
Steel Canvas
Winchester
The Peacemakers
Guns of the American West
Buffalo Bill's Wild west

Now, the question I have is, Do the two books I'm to spend a small fortune on have enough pictures of firearms to warrent spending that much money on them? As compared to the books I already have. I am really interested in engraving guns in the style of the last half of the 1800's. If these books are must haves then I'll get them. I just hope someone can point me in the right direction for a better deal. I have been searching the web for months off and on and haven't seen what I call a good deal yet. Thanks in advance for any help.
P.S. Where's our smily faces, thumbs up, and beer chug thingy's?
 

pilkguns

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For your stated purpose, the Colt books is probably worth investing in for the various SAA patterns, factory or not. The Winchester Engraving book, probably not IMO if you have Nimschke, you should be set.
 

Sandy

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You might consider Roger Bleile's new book American Engravers of the 21st Century. It has great photos for study. It is $75.
 

cwbyengraver

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Michael are you going to make it to Scott's engrave-in this year. You were asking me alot of questions last year and you seemed like a very honest guy. If you are going this year I can send you my copy of colt engraving vol 1. I will pick it up at Scotts. If I do let you barrow the book just remember I am like most of the other guys on here there books are like there family.
 

MICHAEL

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Scott, thx, can't wait for the engrave-in. Do you have the date set? I have to request off 1 month in advance.

Sandy, Jerry Harper let me see his copy that Jim Alaimo sent him and I ordered it the same day. It blew me away! I was surprised this book wasn't over $200.00 bucks. Unbelievable picture quality. Marty Rabeno's guns really caught my eye. Checking the mail daily before my dogs get it thinking it's a new toy (they chewed up a package before that had $200.00 worth of 1857 Remington parts and Dixie gun works replaced it when I went to reorder. Great company!).

cwbyengraver, Thanks for the offer and the compliment. I really need to buy this book on scott's recomendation alone. I appreciate the offer alot! I'm trying to remember you. Did you have the pistol with manatee grips? I plan on being at the engrave-in again with my questions and trying to get Jerry to go also.

If anyone finds a better price on the Colt books, please let me know. I hate to drop $300 -$400 but may have to. Thanks again for all the replies.
 

Roger Bleile

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Michael,

The two volume set of Colt Engraving by RLW pretty much has images of all the engraved Colts that are in his other books. If you can get that set anywhere near the original $400. price, it is well worth it as I have seen it for sale much higher now that it is out of print. If you have that set there will be no need to buy a bunch of other Colt books for engraving images.

Regards,

Roger
 

FANCYGUN

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Marty Rabeno's guns really caught my eye.

Micheal
Thank you very much for the compliment.

There are many great guns by all the engravers pictured in Rogers new book. It's a fantasic reference book for the money.

Marty
AKA Fancygun
 

lesholmes

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A book with many pictures of engraved Colts that I bought at Barnes and Noble is named "Colt: Single Action: From Patersons to Peacemakers" by Dennis Adler, Dennis Adler (Photographer). It's available from Barnes and Noble online for about $20.
 

MICHAEL

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Roger, thx for responding, I just ordered the Colt engraving book from amazon for $204.00 (used, like new condition). It was only 1 volume. I'm confused because I cannot find the second volume that Mr. Wilson states will be released. He stated it would be released last year also. Has the second book been released? I ordered your book and I'm looking forward to recieveing it daily.

Marty, you're welcome. You're guns appeal to me for two reasons. The style and no gold. I enjoy to look at firearms with gold on them for the art they are, but it's just not for me.

lesholmes, I have that book along with the others I listed earlier in this thread. Mr. Adler does have some good photos but only on a few guns. I got to peek at the Colt / Winchester books at Jerry's and I was impressed with the black on white pulls. I could really see the shade lines and how the cuts were made better. Thx for responding.

If anyone knows about the second volume of the Colt engraving book by R.L. Wilson, I'd appreciate if they let me know where I can get it. Thanks again.
 

MICHAEL

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Just a thought. I have the book Winchester, it's shaped differently (like a coffee table book, long, left to right as opposed to long, top to bottom) but has the same cover as the Winchester engraving book. Does anyone know if these books are the same or different?
 

DKanger

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MIke,
Please include the author's name when referring to books so we know which ones you're talking about. There are several Winchester books.
 

MICHAEL

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MIke,
Please include the author's name when referring to books so we know which ones you're talking about. There are several Winchester books.

Sorry about that. Both are by R.L Wilson (I believe, will check when I get home to be sure) and have the same two engraved Winchesters on the cover. The one I have you can get for under $25.00. The other I've not seen for less than $165.00 from track of the wolf.
 

diandwill

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I just bought "Cacciare a Palla" by Nobili, Marco E. off of Alibris Book Fetch. I have seen copies for well over $100-$200, and put the request for book fetch in over a year ago. Bought a copy in Near Fine condition, with a mylar cover, for $20 plus $3.00 shipping. If you know the books you are seeking, and are willing to wait, the book fetch at Alibris.com is wonderful.
Will
 

cwbyengraver

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Michael there is a book that doesn't get a lot of attention classic colt peacemakers isbn 0-87349-271-4 there is work by Howard Dove , Berry Lee Hands , Ben Shostle and Leonard Francolini. The whole book is color photos not the best but very good study and yes I am the one that had the manatee grips.
 

Sandy

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Michael,
I think there are two differt Colt books. One is a single volume book and the other is the two volume book. I think the single volume book came out first. Does the book you ordered from amazon have a blue dust cover?
Sandy
 

MICHAEL

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Michael,
I think there are two differt Colt books. One is a single volume book and the other is the two volume book. I think the single volume book came out first. Does the book you ordered from amazon have a blue dust cover?
Sandy

Sandy, I think so. I know it looked like Jerry's copy, which is the single volume. I would like to find out about this mysterious second volume and if I can order the second volume somewhere?

I recieved my American Engravers today in the mail. No cuttin tonight, just lookin at eye candy!
 

Roger Bleile

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Michael,

I tried to post a picture of my two volume set of The Colt Engraving Book but I'm one of the people having trouble with images. In hopes of clarifying there are four books with similar names. The earliest (and rarest) is The Book of Colt Engraving. The next published was Colt Engraving. The last is The Colt Engraving Book-Volume I and Volume II. A picture of volume I can be seen here: http://www.wilsonbooks.com/ColtEngr.html

The Colt Engraving Book is usually only sold as as set now however when I got mine several years ago only volume I was in print and I bought volume II a few months later.

I hope this clarifies the issue for everyone.

Michael, I hope you enjoy your AE-21 book. Lots of Colts in there!

By the way, I now have a good supply of American Engravers-The 21st Century. Anyone who would like a signed copy can now get one directly from me by E-mailing me at: rbleile@insightbb.com
 
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