Simply outstanding art & work. I spent the better part of two decades working in a machine shop as a miscellaneous machinist and I appreciate working with metal with my hands and tools and creating items. The precision work is beyond description. The use of angles, reliefs and light and dark is masterful. Bravo. I am jealous.
Extraordinary Engraved Pre-27 - with Provenance
- Thread starter RKmesa
- Start date
hdfinder47
Member
RKmesa:
"Engraved S&W fan"
Really? Quite the understatement, Sir - IMHO.
More like "guru"?
I keep coming back to this thread. Thanks again for sharing.
Ed
"Engraved S&W fan"
Really? Quite the understatement, Sir - IMHO.
More like "guru"?
I keep coming back to this thread. Thanks again for sharing.
Ed
The most beautiful metal sculpture I have ever seen.
Clayguy
Member
As many of you know, I have been collecting engraved Smith & Wessons for a long time. Over the years, I have seen many beautifully engraved guns, some of which I have been able to wrangle into my corral. I can say that this is one of the finest engraved S&W revolvers that I have ever seen. I love the realistic animal scenes, the scroll and the overall execution and layout of the gun. It shipped in August 1951 and the invoice says "FOR ERNEST LIND" At some point in its life, the gun was shipped to Germany, where it was beautifully engraved by Waffen-Bock engraving.
Ernie Lind was a famous exhibition shooter in the 1950s and 1960s - one of the last of his kind (in the Wild Bill Hickock tradition). He and his wife Dot toured the country putting on exhibitions in "His Internationally Famous Shooting Act from GUNTHUNDER HILL".
With that, enjoy the photos of the gun (and some Ernie Lind history)...
Here is a photo of Dot Lind with the revolver...
And the cover of the GunThunder Hill flyer...
I have posted a few photos of this gun in other threads, but this is the first time that I created a dedicated thread and shared some of the story. I also took a TON of photos of this gun and find almost every angle to be photogenic.
As always, I'd love to hear your observations, thoughts and impressions.
Thanks for letting me share,
The most extraordinary engraving I've ever seen on ANY gun! Double wow!
OP
For those of you still reading and interested in a little more history, here's a link to the 2:30 minute Poulin Auction video discussing the gun. Definitely worth the watch.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Mj_Bw-HQQ[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Mj_Bw-HQQ[/ame]
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Art66
Member
Absolutely amazing and beautiful engraving! I love all the animals. This gun is truly a work of art. The provenance is very interesting as well. Thanks for posting all the excellent photos!
Nice video.
I noticed that they called the finish a 'coin finish'. A commonly used term when engraved surfaces are finished with nickel and then exhibit some contrast because of that engraving.
Even some hard chrome finishes have been used especially on Euopean made shotguns and marketed as a Coin Finish.
One other thing I see and maybe there's an obvious answer to my question, but on the back side of each grip panel, there is a small dia blind depth hole near the top rear of the inlet.
They would place themselfs just about on the underside of the backstrap I believe on each panel.
Maybe for an extra steel cross pin to be set in place when the grips were installed?
The pin supporting the grip panels and then is just bearing against the underside of the backstrap there.
A bit more support for the grips that would obviously see a lot of shooting, handling and all around use.
Perhaps some other use like holding each panel in a fixture during the making/shaping of each grip.
Just wondering like I always do.
!
I noticed that they called the finish a 'coin finish'. A commonly used term when engraved surfaces are finished with nickel and then exhibit some contrast because of that engraving.
Even some hard chrome finishes have been used especially on Euopean made shotguns and marketed as a Coin Finish.
One other thing I see and maybe there's an obvious answer to my question, but on the back side of each grip panel, there is a small dia blind depth hole near the top rear of the inlet.
They would place themselfs just about on the underside of the backstrap I believe on each panel.
Maybe for an extra steel cross pin to be set in place when the grips were installed?
The pin supporting the grip panels and then is just bearing against the underside of the backstrap there.
A bit more support for the grips that would obviously see a lot of shooting, handling and all around use.
Perhaps some other use like holding each panel in a fixture during the making/shaping of each grip.
Just wondering like I always do.
!
For those of you still reading and interested in a little more history, here's a link to the 2:30 minute Poulin Auction video discussing the gun. Definitely worth the watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Mj_Bw-HQQ
Terrific Video, Richard! Everyone involved in the making of this fabulous revolver showed their expertise in their respective fields!
Larry
OP
There was no cross pin installed when I removed the grips, but it is possible that it was previously lost. I think it more likely that the additional hole was used in securing the grips while they were being scrimshawed, as the grips are held pretty firm to the grip frame by the bottom grip pin, the stock circles and the grip screw. I would love to have Keith Brown weigh in with his thoughts on the why for the other hole.
Thanks,
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OP
Larry:
There have been multiple sets of these "whale tail" or "fish mouth" target grips that have been made over the years. Often they are ornately carved and sometimes attributed to Alvin White or German artists. At the time I commissioned Keith to make sets for me, I only had some photos, but he had handled several sets over the years and used his talents and skills to make a few pairs for me. These grips lend themselves well to engraved guns, as they leave more canvas for an engraver to work his/her magic. The other nice feature of these grips is that they are a target size grip with the frame-side profile of Magna grips and therefore can be easily swapped out with magna grips if the desire arises.
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OP
Richard, I'm wondering how you store your masterpieces...For instance mine are all in silicone treated socks in the safe...I don't have any engraved guns, but if I had some of the quality you collect, I would probably have each one on a wire stand, the kind with a polymer coated wire in the barrel supporting the gun...I don't think I would want the other surfaces resting on anything else......Ben
Ben:
I just realized that I had not responded to you. First off, all of my guns have a coat of Ren Wax. Then most of my revolvers are stored in gun socks, then in a soft case, or in their box. I live in the desert, so humidity is not much of a problem.
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Thanks Richard, I'm always interested in the techniques of others...Our techniques are similar with the exception of the boxes, I store mine separately (most especially during transport) with deterioration of cardboard being what it is...Our humidity levels are considerably different, but everything of value to me is inside my climate-controlled home as much as possible......Ben
...Ben
OP
... a few more photos - just for fun.
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OP
With an "update" of Photobucket, a lot of the links on my photos got broken. I restored the ones in this thread...
OP
It was definitely fired. Just how much... I'm not sure. Not enough to show any real wear...
Such a great gun, and the rest of the story too. Thanks for bringing it back up for a Thanksgiving Day delight.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
Jeff
SWCA #1457
We have one of his "Bullet Art" creations hanging in our Gun Club. It has been there for many many years.
We often overuse the words genius and masterpiece, however, I think in this rare instance it is appropriate. The beauty of the engravings has left me in awe.
OP
In the last RIA auction there was this Winston Churchill engraved knife...
source: RIA Auction (Five Winston Churchill Engraved Sporting Knives | Rock Island Auction)
... notice the scene on the blade - does it look familiar...
I would have to guess that either Winston Churchill was familiar with the Lind gun, or that there was some painting, photo or artwork that served as inspiration for both Churchill and the Waffen Bock engravers...
The knife was part of a beautiful 5 knife set.
source: RIA Auction
I bid on it, but was unsuccessful. If any of you won the set, it would be fun for me to purchase this one knife to place with this Lind gun display.
source: RIA Auction (Five Winston Churchill Engraved Sporting Knives | Rock Island Auction)
... notice the scene on the blade - does it look familiar...
I would have to guess that either Winston Churchill was familiar with the Lind gun, or that there was some painting, photo or artwork that served as inspiration for both Churchill and the Waffen Bock engravers...
The knife was part of a beautiful 5 knife set.
source: RIA Auction
I bid on it, but was unsuccessful. If any of you won the set, it would be fun for me to purchase this one knife to place with this Lind gun display.
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