Garage news: SCI roundup

[Lee]

I enjoyed a day at SCI wandering around and visiting with clients and friends. One of the highlights was seeing Sam A. again. It's been a couple of years and it was great to see you again my friend. He pointed me to a gun across the island I never would have seen otherwise. A breathtaking bolt rifle engraved by Frederique Lipi.......I don't know the rest. Maybe Sam got her name and a photo of the gun. It was superb. The Granite Mountain action is hard and she executed a design with marvelous artistry, refinement, and elegance, my favorite piece in the show. Sam had a practice plate in the vise and it should be illegal to put engraving of that high level on a practice plate. The engraving at SCI is nice but aside from a couple of very special pieces, the engraving is mostly house pattern and traditional.

 

[Lee]

Frederique Lepinios.

 

[Sam]

It was great seeing you Lee! And the Luger you engraved was out of this world! Photos don't do it justice, that's for sure. I'm still dazzled by the selective highlights you did.

Frederique's gun was a show stopper. I got to meet her and she's a very nice lady. She's French, was trained in Belgium, and lives in Italy. Her design work is amazing and the cutting is all done with a push graver. The detail and delicacy of her ornamental work is second to none.

Here site is www.lepinois-engraver.com but appears to be offline at the moment.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Studied under Terzi at Ferlib while working for Ivano Tanfoglio also. . .

 

[graniteguy52]

Lee and Sam,
Is this the gun? http://www.smithson-gunmaker.com/375-hh-take-down.html

 

[Sam]

Lee and Sam,
Is this the gun? http://www.smithson-gunmaker.com/375-hh-take-down.html

Yes, I believe that's it. Pretty incredible isn't it?

 

[Lee]

I didn't take a look at her animals so I have no opinion regarding them. I was too intrigued by the delicate ornamental design and as Sam said it was wonderfully designed.

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

Actually when she first came to Italy she studied at Cesare Giovanelli. She was there when I went back the second time. Then she went to study with Terzi and on to work for Ferlib . Now she works on her own. She is one of the best there is. Her designs are just magnificent. I believe that her time with Terzi probably influenced her design the most.

Chris

 

[Roger Bleile]

Here are a few pictures to put a face with the name. Frédérique has a beautiful studio in Gardone. Of all the engravers I met on that trip, her work was some of the most impressive and yet, at that time she was just about to give up on engraving for lack of steady clientele. What a shame that would have been! Fortunately she is still at it though the custom gun trade in Italy is currently at a low ebb.

Note that, for all of you that think it absolutely necessary to have a ball vise and microscope, Frédérique uses a large machinists vise and a 10X loupe.