The nautilus shell, which Joe mentioned, when it is sectioned, reveals a perfect scroll, but with chambers. This may have been the inspiration for the scroll, in rose and scroll engraving styles. A scroll is not pleasing to the eye at all if it's shape is not absolutely perfect.
Much of gun design utilized the Golden Mean proportion. When I would do the design and layout for a m/l longrifle stock to build, I would lay out different parts of it according to the Golden Mean. Do that, and it is always pleasing to the eye.
The sea, and nautical things, were much more in the forefront of English attention than they are today, in this day of air travel. Architectural designs also found their way into gun decoration................ images of mythical beings like gargoyles and goddesses.
SRH
Last edited by Stan; 10/22/18 07:45 PM. Reason: sp.
