Hugh, #64 in RCA is a Buck's county gun by John Shuler. The hook breech is a small detail, but to my eye, it is a big factor in giving it a line that keeps me coming back for another look, thats pretty much why I went with the hook breech. Thank you for the complements, the carving comes from the Lehighs, especially Eric Kettenburg's beautiful guns, the hunters star is elephant ivory and ebony. I had to try it after pouring over The Jaeger book I got from Jim Chambers. The tendrils around the patchbox was an inspiration from David Prices beautiful guns. Raphael and Grand Ma Moses, Yeah Dave, I can kind of see that
, I wanted the metal to stand proud of the wood, maybe there is a little too much pride there, isn't that what goes before the fall?! Thank you for the good words.
The political statements on the wear plate and thumb piece were directly motivated by my daily reading of the newspaper.
Acer, I worked pretty hard to get that "flow" and for you to note that specifically is much appreciated, take a day trip, you can see it in person.
Don, I think those shiny brass things you referred to are called butt caps or plates. I haven't been doing this very long and can't help but stick shiny things all over the place, but slowly, I'm beginning to see that sometimes less is more.
Thank you all for the good words, I really appreciate them. I know that this type of gun isn't for everybody, especially the hard core traditionalist, but it is fun to make and forces me to stretch what meager abilities I might have. In my real life I'm a pretty plain, meat and potatoes, Joe six pack kind of guy. The photo pretty much sum's it up.
Robby