Acanthus leaf engraving pattern?

[sz]

Has anyone got a picture of a nice attractive engraving on the Davis acanthus leaf butt plate return?
I am putting one together for a friend, and try as i might, I can't seem to come up with anything that looks good.

[Tenn Hills Guy]

I have a book entitled 'Handbook of Ornament' by  Franz Sales Meyer has tons the old 'classical' designs if your looking for that sort of thing. ISBN 0-486-20302-6.  Might find a copy at Amazon, Abe Books, etc.  Got mine years ago at the Smithsonian.

[T*O*F]

[sz]

Thanks TOF, but I guess I was not specific enough.   The one I am looking for is the Davis Jaeger butt plate #23.  It's got a complex form and obviously is made to follow an engraving pattern, but I have not come up with that pattern.
It's the one that Track has inlet on their "Acanthus Leaf Jaeger"
See the link.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(pzbeyhaxakufjwy1h5rgkd45))/CATEGORIES/PARTDETAIL.ASPX?CATID=14&SUBID=144&STYLEID=542&PARTNUM=BP-JAEG-21-B

[Steve Lindsay]

Not sure if this will help but Google has hundreds of copyright free old books on-line. 
There is one titled: "Guide for Drawing the Acanthus"   It is dated 1886.
It has steps to drawing various classic acanthus leaves as well as good examples.

Here is a link to it on google.
http://books.google.com/books?id=MhJAAAAAIAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=Guide+For+Drawing+The+Acanthus&as_brr=1&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0

and here is link to directly download the pdf to your harddrive.
http://books.google.com/books/pdf/Guide_for_Drawing_the_Acanthus__and_Ever.pdf?id=MhJAAAAAIAAJ&output=pdf&sig=L9OqK4k_1blUW3vHFn2ngbJmfc8

Steve

[Dave B]

Steve,
They call it the Acanthus leaf butt plate but it really is a rococo style  return. the acanthus is a mannerist element for the most part.
Here is a side plate that has the same sort of style as the unengraved butt plate.



 I know I have seen an original in one of my books that has a similar looking butt plate. I will look to see what I can find.
Dave B

[Dave B]

I found a butt plate in the Jaeger book that Jim Chambers is selling on page 260
I had drawn what I thought would be a pattern but differ to the master ala 1700's. I used some parchment paper to trace out the basic pattern from the butt plate return. You get the Idea and there is not one acantus leaf found in the bunch.

[Steve Lindsay]

The rococo style does make more sense for the butt plate shapes rather than Acanthus leaves.   
 
Pages 134 through 155 in that 1886 book has a section called "French Ornament" which looks similar to the rococo designs.  The author also calls it "Louis the fourteenth style".  If needed, the section may also be helpful for ideas for drawing designs in the style. 

If I did it correct this link should take you to the start of that section in the book (page 134). 
http://books.google.com/books?id=MhJAAAAAIAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=Guide+For+Drawing+The+Acanthus&as_brr=1&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PRA1-PA134,M1

Once there scroll down through the pages.   Page 147 has some clear nice drawings. 

[sz]

Thank you both, Dave and Steve.
That was quite helpful.

[Dave B]

Steve L,
That is a great refference book. Thanks for sharing
Dave B

[davek32835]

Steve,
Thanks so much for the link to the Drawing the Acanthus book. Didn't know these old books had become available. The link led me directly to a book I had been watching for. William Cockrum's "A Pioneer History of Indiana". That's a great book I was able to read in the Purdue University library about 5 years ago. Have wanted a copy for reference ever since. Lots of really good stories in the book.

Thanks,
Dave

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Not sure if this will help but Google has hundreds of copyright free old books on-line. 
There is one titled: "Guide for Drawing the Acanthus"   It is dated 1886.
It has steps to drawing various classic acanthus leaves as well as good examples.

Here is a link to it on google.
http://books.google.com/books?id=MhJAAAAAIAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=Guide+For+Drawing+The+Acanthus&as_brr=1&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0

and here is link to directly download the pdf to your harddrive.
http://books.google.com/books/pdf/Guide_for_Drawing_the_Acanthus__and_Ever.pdf?id=MhJAAAAAIAAJ&output=pdf&sig=L9OqK4k_1blUW3vHFn2ngbJmfc8

Steve

Now that is a helpful book!!

Thanks Steve!