That's undoubtedly the nicest Victory model revolver that I have ever seen. The engraving is outstanding! But I'm a little confused as to what you would call the finish. Is it French Gray? Or is it in the "white"? Or something else? Whatever it is, it is truly very, very nice! Congratulations on having that Victory in your fine collection of engraved revolvers.
An Engraved Masterpiece - Born from a Victory
- Thread starter RKmesa
- Start date
Beautiful pistol, Richard.
Hawg Rider asked the questions while I was still pondering. What type finish is that? The color looks different than nickel. Definitely not any french grey that I have seen. Chrome?
Hawg Rider asked the questions while I was still pondering. What type finish is that? The color looks different than nickel. Definitely not any french grey that I have seen. Chrome?
OP
It is a blued gun with a very nice satin finished. The blue satin finish is great at reflecting and defusing light to give it a soft glowing surface, different from some high polish or "mirror polish" blue finishes that act more like a mirror. To illustrate, here are examples of each - the mirror polished blue guns is engraved by Winston Churchill (the engraver not the PM):
Defused Satin Blue:
Mirror Polished Blue:
Defused Satin Blue:
Mirror Polished Blue:
Notice how both blued guns reflect the light nicely, but differently.
The metal prep is critical in what happens once they are blued.
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Generally speaking I do not like heavily embellished guns, but I gotta admit whoever did that did a very, very nice job of it.
No doubt hard to photograph and capture the true color. Thanks.It is a blued gun with a very nice satin finished. The blue satin finish is great at reflecting and defusing light to give it a soft glowing surface, different from some high polish or "mirror polish" blue finishes that act more like a mirror. To illustrate, here are examples of each - the mirror polished blue guns is engraved by Winston Churchill (the engraver not the PM):
Notice how both blued guns reflect the light nicely, but differently.
OP
I would like the grips better if they were all not dinged up...Very nice. I like the general feel of simplicity and elegance it displays.
Although I doubt it was simple to do at all. I guess I’m in the minority here, I like the stocks on it just fine.
Giorgio Italy
Member
It would seem like a bad habit to me though. Anyway, the engraving is spectacular!Yes, by some voodoo engraver magic, all of the factory roll marks were removed, including the gun caliber, usually rollmarked on the side of the barrel. This is sometimes done to give the engraver a cleaner, less cluttered surface to engrave.
G
Re differences between the guns depicted, I'll note screw heads, engraved (yours) and non.
A beauty!
A beauty!
Also the Scroll patterns on the 2 bbl's at the breech unwind in opposite directions..one overhand,,one underhand to start.
The scroll patterns do the same thing on the yoke and bbl ring of the frame plus they start from the muzzle end on one and the breech end on the other.
The small square area on the pivot of the yoke is scroll cut on the RKM revolver,, but criss-cross line cut on the other.
The side plate engraving is pretty much the same pattern looking at. the left side views quickly. There are small changes in size of minor scrolls and positions, additions and deletions betw the two as far as smaller details especially on the outer perimeter of the engraved area.
Some small changes betw the borders, corner accents, etc.
Just a few things,,there's more.
Even if the same engraver did both, it's very difficult to make an exact duplicate unless it's called for by the customer/work order or the engraver sets out to accomplish it.
Engraving an 'exact pair' is quite a job.
A 'set of patterns' is a quick way to lay down the same on a firearm when doing several of like model, but even then you often find very slight differences in the guns/parts. Especially seen at the edges and borders where the polishing has established those boundrys.
They can be off one gun to another though they are the same make/model, even very close in ser# production. Some slight adjustment to the patterns is necessary as a rule.
The bbl engraving where a pattern rolls out from the breech or the muzzle identical on each side of the bbl is often flip-flopped as far as which way one side starts out as compared to the other side.
One will start 'overhand',,the other identical side starts out 'underhand' in the direction the scroll uncurls.
All of the follow up scrolls off of the first scroll then follow that opposite direction from the opposing side.
This generally happens when the engraver cuts one side,,then takes a pattern / impression or it to use on the other side of the bbl and for later use in engraving other guns of the same configuration.
What happens is when the pattern is lifted from one side, then flipped over to the opposite side
,it places the entire pattern upsidedown on that second side to be cut.
So the scrolls are upside-down from what they appear on the first side. They curl in the opposite direction from the other side.
It's very common to see this on SxS shotguns with scroll engraving 'Wedges' cut in the breech end of the bbls. Not really noticable at first.
Fox, LCS, PArker,,they all will have this issue (if you can call it that) show up on their high grade guns with that style bbl engraving.
Then a pattern of that second side is taken and kept with the whole collection.
So every gun cut later using that set of patterns will have the flip=flop bbl patterns.
That unless someone notices or actually cares enough to re-draw the direction of the scrolls on side #2.
..and sometimes the engraver doing a job will just not care enough to bother with direction on the other side and go about cutting it as they feel comfortable.
It is one of those small things that happens and is in plain view but most never see.
OP
2125hq - I always appreciate your opionion and comments on engraving. Thank you Jim for taking the time to share your expertise - I continue to learn from your posts.
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OP
I found photos of one more similarly engraved Victory...
... but on this one, the engraver left the roll marks on the right side (but removed the roll marks from the barrel), and it sports ivory stocks.
... but on this one, the engraver left the roll marks on the right side (but removed the roll marks from the barrel), and it sports ivory stocks.
DrBay
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That scroll and geometric engraving appears to be in the style of Colt engraver Cuno Helfricht who worked at Colt from 1871-1921.Yes, by some voodoo engraver magic, all of the factory roll marks were removed, including the gun caliber, usually rollmarked on the side of the barrel. This is sometimes done to give the engraver a cleaner, less cluttered surface to engrave.
VincentW
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It is fantastic! A true collectors item, something to treasure for life!A little while back I picked up this delightful victory model. The engraving on it is masterfully laid out and beautifully executed. The engraving ”canvas” of a Victory would not nave been my first choice, but the artistic engraving, layout and coverage are very pleasing to my eye. I need to get the good camera out treat this beauty to a glamour photo session, but for now these iPhone photos will have to do.
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As always, I welcome your comments, thoughts, observations and perspectives.
Thanks for letting me share.
kev74
Member
Beautiful gun!
How does it shoot???
How does it shoot???
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