doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com A Unique Low-Wall

Wow...some folks really really dislike German Relief engraving! (sort how I feel about Fox AE, BE, CE, XE and DE engraving. you know what I mean. Wretched, poorly executed, game scenes and/or poison oak leaves with crap game scened animal outlines and detailing...ocasionally accompanied by lightnen' bolt engravin' mistakes....sheesh! Talk about bad engraving...yikes!)

The "lion head" scene that some one refered to in an earlier post is actually "The spirit man of the forest" or "Green man" of the forest and is linked to pagenism. This sort of motif is not commonly seen on German made guns. (I've only have seen it on a few Sauer produced pieces). The Green Man/Spirit Man engraving motif as used on Sauer made pieces is usually shown as a humanoid type face surrounded by whiskers..as is in the case of this Sauer low wall. While some would say the engraving on the piece is truly bad, I would ask "compared to what" (See rant about Fox engraving above)

The rifle was a special ordered piece and likely commisioned by its purchaser to incorporate the directed motif and was executed as directed. Honestly the first time that I saw it I thought it was commisioned by a some one from the United States living in Germany/Berlin. To my eye the rifle has this aire of US patriotism (Eagles) that I have never seen on any German gun.

Thanks Jeff, I thought I had seen that type lion head before and now remember I had seen the Green Man on another gun. I rather like that wily old guy.

Kutter, lovely scrollwork, I happen to think scroll truly suits that type action best.

Rob

Thanks to all for the comments. The Hepburn was a bit of a challenge in drawing the pattern in and around the handful of screws dotting the sides of the action. A couple are extras from the conversion if I recall correctly.
The small pat. date info on the left side bottom edge of the action was about gone by the time I finished polishing the action. Instead of recutting, I moved it to a banner placed just behind the hammer on the top tang. Made for an uninterupted side pannel too.

Here's a Colt Police Positive 38 prewar gun 1927?. A different style of scroll again. Smaller and tighter. A few touches of gold inlay, bbl bands and the Colt pony inlayed and detailed. Rust blue finish and grips are english walnut, 28lpi checkering. Another air assisted graver job except the gold inlay work. Haven't figured the way to do that yet but I'll have to as it isn't getting easier since this one was done..




Sorry about the poor quality of the pics,,a photographer I am not. Once in a while I get lucky.

Great Rampant Colt, & I really like the chain border.
Nice grips too!

Kutter, That Colt is beautiful!

I've really enjoyed reading this thread, learned a lot, and considering the rifle that started this thread, I just can't resist slipping this rifle into the discussion. Another german engraved single-shot with a full-length forend (by someone, or for someone, who really liked oak leaves).

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=223757791

Bill

Here are more oak leaves - this is a D M Lefever "cross bolt" gun from 1905. Probably 4AA grade, although not marked as to "quality".

Is that a dural frame or just bluing gone to plum?

By all appearances, that is a Stevens Favorite action. The hammer has been welded and the top tang extended.