Hmmmm. After these last several posts I began to ponder about the historical context of this gun. Given that the gun was made during a time of Germanic ascendancy (Franco-Prussian War to WWI, 1870-1914) this may explain the preference for a more "Continental" type of deeper-relief engraving. This was also the time of the resurgence in the interest of mythology in general, (also due to many of the other things happening at the time alluded to in the previous posts) inspiring the creation/construction of things like the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. So, we have a deviation from the more traditional type of English engraving to one that could easily be called today "Pop Culture" inspired. Given those reasons, it's entirely possible that the engraving was probably not seen quite as unusual at that time compared to now, but might have been considered more "Trendy". Given the general theme of the engraving, I suspect that the figure on the bottom was a "Harpy" rather than merely a grotesque, ready to snatch up an evildoer and carry them off to the Erinyes. I totally understand, given the theme, why there would be Griffins/Gryphons on the sides and fences, (usually depicted with more bird-like heads, as far as the ones on the sides) but the reasoning behind the goat-horned fellow on the lower bottom part of receiver and the trigger guard kind of perplexes me. Could it be a Satyr or a Faun, or possibly Pan? (the God of hunting, among other things) Or, even Beelzebub himself?
I'd like to know who commissioned this engraving. It'd probably explain things quite a bit. I like the Aleister Crowley reference,(Thelema Mysticism) that type of mystics were certainly around at that time. I actually met some Agape members, many years ago when I lived in California, although as I remember, none of'em were the "Big Three" shotgun types..
Last edited by Ken61; 05/20/14 07:35 PM.
