A really outstanding SxS flinter on the Blog

[PPatch]

Allen Sandy shotgun: http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/

dp

[Kermit]

Every morning, first thing, I pour my coffee and open The Blog. With this SxS starting things off, it's going to be a great day! Thanks for sharing the beauty.

[C Wallingford]

I got to see this at Ft Frederick and let me tell you, it is something to behold. Excellent workmanship from one end to the other.

[jamesthomas]

 You don't see very many SXS Flint lock shotguns anyway. This one is a beauty. "Thumbs Up".

[t.caster]

SPECTACULAR! It really holds up to CLOSE inspection!
Doesn't look like any maple or walnut I ever worked with!?

[acorn20]

Unbelievable workmanship!  Truly a piece of working art.  Love everything about this gun. 

The wood grain looks like a walnut but what kind?  English, possibly a french or Spanish walnut? Where was this wood grown? Please advise.

[D. Buck Stopshere]

Sure would like to know who made my unsigned flint double barrel 12 gauge. I saw it at the NMLRA SE Rendezvous near Yadkinville, NC in 2011 on a feller's rack down off the hill from where Commercial row was.

I didn't have $ 3,500 for it, but I did have a Harpers Ferry 1855 rifle, dated 1860, so we made the trade.

I showed it a friend of mine who has made a few himself, Mike Ehinger, and he didn't recognize the maker.
Locks are L & R, and barrels are by Ed Rayl, checkered walnut stock, and fairly well made. The PO took it to the CLA Show sometime back before I got it, and he met the maker, but had forgotten the name when I did the trade.

I suppose I could check with Ed Rayl as to possible customers who would have ordered a set of 12 gauge double barrels back in the past ten years.

I suspect the maker didn't have the expertise to engrave his name on the rib or had not the metal stamps to do the same. Its possible also he didn't feel the quality was up to his reputation, and decided to let it go unsigned.

If I have "hijacked" this thread, regrets, go ahead and delete.

Buck

[brooktrout]

Cannot connect the link provided to the gun but if it's the gun I saw in Williamsburg it is amazing.  This maker lives only about 90 minutes from me and I would love to visit him although he says he generally does not have works available for sale or viewing.  The gun was marked with a price and given the art and character of the gun it was a real DEAL.  Maybe before I go to the happy hunting ground I'll own one of his works.  (I think he said he was offering it for sale on behalf of the owner.)

An artist and gentleman in every sense of the word.  And people wonder why and/or how one could be drawn to contemporary rifles over antiques.  Look at this man's work.  That should explain it.

[D. Buck Stopshere]

If you're trying to see Allen Sandy's shotgun by clicking on the link, "Brooktrout", you just have to do a few more steps, which is how I learned to navigate the blog yesterday.

After clicking on the link, you'll end up looking at whatever is posted on the current day. Today is May 6th and the blog displays a haversack by Ken Scott.

Now, scroll down to the bottom of the "Introduction", and view "Blog Archive" and click on "April", and you will see, "Wednesday April 30, 2014". Scroll down past the Pipe-Ax prints to "Tuesday, April 29, 2014" and "Double Flintlock Shotgun by Allan Sandy".

Or, click on the "arrowhead" to the left of "April" and see all the entries for April, including #2, "Double Flintlock Shotgun by Allen Sandy".

WA-LA!

Click on the first print and it becomes full screen and all 36 thumbnail photos are at the bottom of your screen.

Remember to click on any artwork on the Blog to go full-screen and scroll through the images.

When "PPatch" posted his initial entry, it was April 29th, the same day of the Blog Posting of Allan Sandy's work.

Hope this helps.

[brooktrout]

AH HA!  It did help!!  Now, about that gun....I find it hard to believe that there could be two such stunning works but there are a few things about the one shown that I don't recall seeing.  One being the beaded front sight and the other being the smooth look of the barrels.  But then maybe I could not get my eyes past the work of the stock and locks.  And I'm not completely sure the decorative work at the breech on top between the barrels at the locks was the same.  But it is hard for me to actually completely see all the detail when looking at art like this.  I purchased a nice contemporary from a local maker in Dec.  It has been on my wall since then and just about two weeks ago I discovered ANOTHER feature that I had overlooked.  In reading about Mr. Sandy after seeing his work I noted that he won best of show at Dixon's three years in a row, late 90's I think.  He never mentioned that during our discussion at Williamsburg.  Super guy!  And thanks for the tutorial!

[Dan'l 1946]

  Allan is a great guy and a master craftsman. Several years ago, I met him at Fort Ticonderoga and I ordered a fowler from him. Something that a modestly successful individual might have owned in the F&I war era, not too fancy but distinctive and elegant. A ten bore with a 48" barrel; and a cherry stock, it weighs a hair under 8 lbs. and handles like a dream. I didn't specify engraving or much carving, but Allan added just the right amount of both plus some silver wire inlay that is amazing. Very reasonable price, too. And he never mentioned his awards to me, either. 
                                                      Dan

[brooktrout]

Just wondering, and it ties to another thread concerning gun values.  I think I saw this gun.  And I think it was being offered for sale by the maker on behalf of the original owner.  I also think it was unfired and every bit as nice as the one in the link.  But back to the issue of values, anyone want to venture a guess as to the asking price?  No fair calling Mr. Sandy to inquire!

[Mike Brooks]

Nice example of contemporary work. Missed the historical angle. Should be priced accordingly. If you like contemporary fantasy guns the price will probably be quite high. If you like guns based an historical precedence you'd probably pass this one by. Just my opinion of course.

[brooktrout]

In the lengthy conversation I had with Mr. Sandy I thought he said this gun was based on a English made original.  But that's not to say he may not have added some features or maybe even many features.  The gun was tagged with a price and I noted it but no way it is in my range of prices no matter how much I admired it.  He also had another gun and in that discussion he specifically said it was pretty much his creative imagination at work and that it was specifically NOT modeled after any style or any original.  That gun was more to my budget but still over what I would pay.  The more he spoke about the second one the less it seemed to be a gun I would want even though it looked super nice.

I guess there will be no opinions expressed about the value of the S x S so I'll share the secret.  "The owner wants $11,000".  I have to feel the gun sold initially for more than that but then I don't know.  To me there is a very small market for such a gun.

[Mike Brooks]

To me there is a very small market for such a gun.

correctly built and properly decorated there is a market for a SxS in that price range.