Engraved and Used! :) Letter Update

[S&W ucla]

Didn't want to hijack Doc or RK's thread on their beautiful engraved guns, so I'll start this one. Someone commented in another thread.........

"I'm not in to engraved pistols, but that engraving is beautifully done. It's great looking mind you, but I just can't buy a pistol use it for display only."

This factory engraved .22 Target (pre-woodsman) was enjoyed by it's owner. Well used but cared for. William
H Gough did the engraving ~1917. I really like the grips too. Not a lot of 1st series guns were engraved. It still shoots good 108 years later!

 

[mk70ss]

That is one cool and classy pistola!!

 

[2152hq]

Nice Colt Woodsman!
Is that particular pistol one of 3 sent to Wm Gough while he was in Utica, NY and engraving for Savage?
Sent 'soft', meaning 'In the White' and no hardened parts so as not to upset the engraver!

I seem to remember a pic of one of them and that info in one of the books on Colt Engraving.

I don't think Gough ever worked right in the Colt factory. But he took engraving work from many, many different firms.

His style is often confused with Wilber Glahn (or probably more-so the reverse) who was an in-house Colt factory engraver at just about the same time..WW1 to the early 50's.
Glahn did the bulk of the factory Colt engraving starting at the very end of Helfricht's career in the early 20's till Glahn retired in 1950. He died in '51

Wm Gough's father (Harold (Harry?) was a Parker engraver after coming to the USA from England where he had been a copperplate engraver (print plate).
William worked at Parker as well for a time early on.

Wilber Glahn came from a large family of engravers. Several of them worked in the firearms industry as well.

Any of these early factory engraved pieces are a real find.

 

[fatcat3]

Just me, barring Booth's derringer or some such, I'm shooting the dog snot out of it.

 

[Gdogman]

"I'm not in to engraved pistols, but that engraving is beautifully done. It's great looking mind you, but I just can't buy a pistol use it for display only."

 

[S&W ucla]

Added Colt Letter in original post. He was sent these 4 guns a month after US declared war on Germany. This one returned to factory engraved in 1919. According to Mr. Rayburn (RIP) 151 total 1st Series guns were factory engraved.

 

[Onomea]

Really nice. A treasure!

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

"I'm not in to engraved pistols, but that engraving is beautifully done. It's great looking mind you, but I just can't buy a pistol use it for display only."

I shoot engraved revolvers and pistols because its mine. You keep a firearm mint so your heirs can sell it after you pass?

Everyone should have a BBQ gun even if you are not a Texan.