I concur with all the comments above: generally there is no correlation between engraving style or quality and the geographical origin of the gun.
Given the higher wages and costs of London production, I think it would be fair to say that the quality of a TRULY London made gun is ON AVERAGE higher than one from Birmingham and hence the execution may be better. Many top outworkers moved to London for the higher wages but then many stayed and made a good living in Birmingham.
When I look at the work that came out of the P Webley organisation and was retailed by the like of Lang, Evans and Blanch I see engraving of fantastic quality, easily as good as (presumably) London guns made of the same era.
I have always wondered about the Kell style engraving that Blanch used on there Best gun between the turn of the Century and 1st WW. I know that these guns are basically of Birmingham origin but the engraving is so 'Kell' I have always been tempted to think they were engraved in the Kell studios. But we will never know for sure: was there a Birmingham studio doing Kell style work?!
