Someone correct me if they think differently, but my impression is that in the Knick and NID era there was an initial engraving design, particularly for the Grades 4 and 5. The engravers, this meaning primarily McGraw, were told to adhere to those designs. Engravers subsequent to McGraw did not go back to the original designs for their guidance, but instead imitated the engraver before them. Some did a better job than others but over time the designs strayed more from the originals. I think that in the end even McGraw was imitating McGraw.
Anyway, I can well imagine that Bill got a little frosted when the new guys were being hired to imitate McGraw rather than duplicate the original designs.
