Respectfully, I am not interested in mixing and matching with other mediums.
I am specifically asking about the engraving on British shotguns and rifles (Actually, doubleshotguns and double rifles to be more precise as to my exposure) during a certain period, predominately the middle 'ish 19th century, although pin-pointing it to those years is a guess-timate on my part based on MY exposure/experience, which is admittedly limited.
I had no intention of having comparisons drawn between these engraved weapons and that on branded lithographs, plates, ashtrays, etc. regardless of THEIR coincidental style and timeframe.
After all, purely as an example, I don't expect to see expressionist engraving on guns coming out of Germany and Austria in the first decades of the 20th century, yet that was a major artistic movement in those countries in that timeframe.
Please, let's try to stick to the original topic of the question(s) I asked.
I'm enquiring about British gun engraving. It's curious to me that the phenomena of this type of animal depiction exists when, as Franc has pointed out, scroll and other type engraving was so refined.
jOe, I'm not so sure about the lack of talent being the reason, although it is certainly a valid possibility. That's why I drew attention to the "flying turnip" birds on fine American guns such as Parkers in this period, or part of it at any rate. THAT is a more definite indication of lack of talent to me, or perhaps lack of payola to first-class engravers (?)
Does anyone actually know categorically if this was a deliberate, accepted style for BRITISH firearms during a certain timeframe? If it was, what was that timeframe? And, when did it change and why?
Or can anyone make the case that it was due to either a lack of talent and/or a lack of financing?
