"Masterpiece Gun"

[Mike Brooks]

D. Taylor,

I'm waiting to find out if my Mike Brook's early VA piece is his fanciest and if it's his Ultimate Supreme-er-est Favorite, or not?

 

I don't know what gun you're refering to.....

[Collector]

My apologies Mike.  It's in the Gallery Shoppe

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I I I I I I -+  "Contemporary Artwork by Mike Brooks"

I need to take better quality photos to really do this piece justice.

[Mike Brooks]

Oh, that gun. Yes it is fairly fancy for me. Of course these days anything with a buttplate on it is pretty fancy for me.
Favorite......I don't have a favorite, I have done too much work to pick one. I like this one real well.
http://www.fowlingguns.com/rifle3.html
This one really turns my crank
http://www.fowlingguns.com/rifle12.html
Always liked this one, although you can't really get a grip on it unless you see it in the flesh.
http://www.fowlingguns.com/newenglandfowler1.html
Of course, what's notto like about this one?
http://www.fowlingguns.com/gunforsale8.html
Cpl Crispin's Liberty gun......who else builds stuff like this?
http://www.fowlingguns.com/gunforsale13.html
I wish I would have kept this one.
http://www.fowlingguns.com/librty2.html
This one is very cool
http://www.fowlingguns.com/burrifle.html

I think what I'm presently attracted to is color, texture of the metal antiqueing and uniqueness of a particular gun. There are others work out there that I like far better than my own.

[Joe S]

Mike – Can you tell the difference between your artificially aged finish and a naturally aged finish (both metal and wood)?

[Acer Saccharum]

Jerry's metal work is outstanding as usual. There are several on this board who are more capable of shaping and carving a gun like this. Take off the gold and wire work and then asses the gun....... So many are fooled by glitz and razzle dazzle....

Mike, while you have a point, Jerry is following Boutet's lead on this gun. Not my favorite stock form, yet, Jerry does it justice.

I agree that glitter doth not always make a gun better. In my opinion, the underlying form is what makes a gun sing to me. The decoration, stock color, carving, etc, can only add to (or subtract from ) the existing beauty.

[Mike Brooks]

Mike – Can you tell the difference between your artificially aged finish and a naturally aged finish (both metal and wood)?

Yes, I can. There are some folks on this board who can fool me though.

[Mike Brooks]

Jerry's metal work is outstanding as usual. There are several on this board who are more capable of shaping and carving a gun like this. Take off the gold and wire work and then asses the gun....... So many are fooled by glitz and razzle dazzle....

Mike, while you have a point, Jerry is following Boutet's lead on this gun. Not my favorite stock form, yet, Jerry does it justice.

I agree that glitter doth not always make a gun better. In my opinion, the underlying form is what makes a gun sing to me. The decoration, stock color, carving, etc, can only add to (or subtract from ) the existing beauty.

I may have been overly critical. This type of gun enables Jerry to show off his skills to the maximum. Better this extent and level of decoration on a euro gun where it belongs than on an American long rifle.

[Tom Currie]

" Better this extent and level of decoration on a euro gun where it belongs than on an American Rifle. "

We'll that's a comment I wholeheartedly agree with. I'm of the thought that an American period long rifle ought to look like one. 

[JDK]

I agree also.  Art Deco furnishings are out of place in an early American log cabin as Shaker pieces would have been in Louise's Paris.  How far can we go before something becomes something else....or something it is not for that matter.

That being said, to give credit where credit is due, this gun is a outstanding display of craftsmanship and I am sure that is exactly what is meant to be.  J.D.

[Daryl]

This is the only true masterpiece gun I have seen in a while.  Made by Jerry Huddleston, it just received the Engraver's Choice award at the recent FEGA show.  He made all the parts himself, including the barrels; and he did all his own castings.  The gun itself is a flint double in the style of the early 1800's French masters.  The inlays are gold and silver and the castings are sterling silver.



Pictures are too large to post.  They are hi-res and can be enlarged by clicking on them once.

http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-tg-lg-super.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-muzzle-lower.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-locks.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-bc1-large.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-bc2.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-0315sized.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-tw1.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-tw3.jpg
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/gr-my-ffl-top-comp.jpg

I needed to bring this forward. Those with a roller button on their mouse and maybe only with a PC - holding down a control bullet and rolling the centre wheel on the mouse will enlarge or shrink the picture.  Holding the ctrl button down and pusing the 0 number will return the page to the original size.

[Daryl]

I really like the small inlet gold flowers - typical of some very high end modern shotguns and rifles- see Spring DG & SSJournal.
Pretty fancy, but very pretty, and fitting for a high-end French gun!

[Acer Saccharum]

This gun is a culmination of a life's work of study and practice. Jerry has my respect for his determination to learn and master the multiple skills needed at so many different levels. It takes great perseverance and vision to complete such a work.

Tom

[Acer Saccharum]

Now, that said, if there is a gun that I don't like, but it shows similar levels of vision and skill as Jerry's gun, do I respect it for what it is and the skills of its maker?

[Daryl]

Only if you want to.

I think if a gun is displayed as a masterpiece, it is being displayed for critique. If it has warts along with the 'good' workmanship, both should be noted, otherwise the builder will not learn to build without the warts.  As well, if the problems or incorrect workmanship are not pointed out and explained, he may be given a false 'value' of his work and will not learn where he went wrong.  

I think this is a very prominent problem with many forums as many of us just don't know what we are looking at, so are not qualified to give a meaningful evaluation.  Those who are qualified, should give a good, meaningful & honest critique.  If that is not desired by the builder, then he should NOT present his 'masterpiece' as a masterpiece in the first place.  It either is, or isn't - not - it's great on inletting and carving, but it has shaping problems common to first time makers.  If it has the warts of a new builder, then it should never have been overpraised in the first place, which then COULD improperly bolster the ego of the builder.

Those who do know what they are looking at, should not be held back from telling it like it is - if a critique is asked for - presentation of a "Masterpiece" is opening the door for honest critiques - of it's faults if it has any, as well as the properly executed work, if it has any.

I could post a picture of a rifle I built and call it a "Masterpiece", but that certainly would not make it so, even though some of my friends might have said it was - (they didn't)  HA!

[Collector]

Only if you want to.

I think if a gun is displayed as a masterpiece, it is being displayed for critique. If it has warts along with the 'good' workmanship, both should be noted, otherwise the builder will not learn to build without the warts.  As well, if the problems or incorrect workmanship are not pointed out and explained, he may be given a false 'value' of his work and will not learn where he went wrong. 

I think this is a very prominent problem with many forums as many of us just don't know what we are looking at, so are not qualified to give a meaningful evaluation.  Those who are qualified, should give a good, meaningful & honest critique.  If that is not desired by the builder, then he should NOT present his 'masterpiece' as a masterpiece in the first place.  It either is, or isn't - not - it's great on inletting and carving, but it has shaping problems common to first time makers.  If it has the warts of a new builder, then it should never have been overpraised in the first place, which then COULD improperly bolster the ego of the builder.

Those who do know what they are looking at, should not be held back from telling it like it is - if a critique is asked for - presentation of a "Masterpiece" is opening the door for honest critiques - of it's faults if it has any, as well as the properly executed work, if it has any.

I could post a picture of a rifle I built and call it a "Masterpiece", but that certainly would not make it so, even though some of my friends might have said it was - (they didn't)  HA!

Now, we're getting somewhere...

My apologies, I should have placed my comment, in context.

[Acer Saccharum]

Remind me, where are we going? Without mileposts or roadsigns, how do we know we're getting somewhere, not just traveling in circles?

[jimc2]

Seems to me everyone has had their say and then some.In all honesty its boring and childish at times. It should be apparent by this time no one is going to change anybodies mind. Perhaps this discussion has reached the end of the road???

[Mike Brooks]

Perhaps this discussion has reached the end of the road?Huh?

Not untill we hit 6,000 views....

[jdm]

Not until we hit 6,000 views....
 Mike  I'd like to help  but one more view is my limit!   JIM

[54Bucks]

Seems to me everyone has had their say and then some.In all honesty its boring and childish at times. It should be apparent by this time no one is going to change anybodies mind. Perhaps this discussion has reached the end of the road???

 I'de have to agree. Yet I expect the circles to continue as a few think they have the ability to critique anything and determine for others what a masterpiece is or isn't. A lot of it seems to be those preferring simple compared to fancy. But as you said it goes beyond to boring and childish when they also feel a need to denigrate what they don't like or to just simply be offensive.

[Acer Saccharum]

It is far from finished, as people are still posting.

Fancy has nothing to do with a gun being a masterful work.

Denigration has no place. It's not constructive, and once the ego is wounded, one cannot talk sense when all they see is red.

Criticism is a difficult issue. It's very hard to deliver on line, in written form.

Some people can take criticism, and others can't. It depends on where the criticism is coming from. It can from a genuine interest in being helpful, and it can come from a desire to hurt someone's feelings. It can come from a genuine place of wanting to help, yet the delivery rough, and falls on deaf ears.

All that said, criticism is better when delivered in person. Then the meaning is clearer, with tone and body language evident. Then the person receiving the criticism knows better where it's coming from. It's also not posted to the entire world.

So if you want criticism on the web, ask for it. But you'd better have thick skin.

If you are going to give criticism on the web, please give due consideration to how difficult it is to get your meaning across without hurting feelings.

Now is this thread done?

Tom

[JDK]

Well said Tom and so true.

The shame of it all is how all of the digital "communication" these days is effecting the peoples ability to communicate face to face.....I'm afraid it's been degraded.  The information and communication that the information highway and cell phones with text make available is really a mixed blessing.

J.D.

[jimc2]

One can only hope its over!!!!!

[54Bucks]

It is far from finished, as people are still posting.

Fancy has nothing to do with a gun being a masterful work.

Denigration has no place. It's not constructive, and once the ego is wounded, one cannot talk sense when all they see is red.

Criticism is a difficult issue. It's very hard to deliver on line, in written form.

Some people can take criticism, and others can't. It depends on where the criticism is coming from. It can from a genuine interest in being helpful, and it can come from a desire to hurt someone's feelings. It can come from a genuine place of wanting to help, yet the delivery rough, and falls on deaf ears.

All that said, criticism is better when delivered in person. Then the meaning is clearer, with tone and body language evident. Then the person receiving the criticism knows better where it's coming from. It's also not posted to the entire world.

So if you want criticism on the web, ask for it. But you'd better have thick skin.

If you are going to give criticism on the web, please give due consideration to how difficult it is to get your meaning across without hurting feelings.

Now is this thread done?

Tom

 Thanks for the masterfull sermon on criticism. Too bad Mike Brook's parody of another thread is the one who invited the criticism.
 You say fancy has nothing to do with a gun being masterfull, well the point was that most responses to this Parody (of a different thread) was nothing more than an allignment behind Mike Brooks vs the author of the original thread. Very much a preference of guns drug behind the tractor or beat with a hammer vs the opposite.
 The original thread nor the following parody were an invitation by a novice builder inviting constructive  cricism. So it was over before it started.

[Mike Brooks]

Seems to me everyone has had their say and then some.In all honesty its boring and childish at times. It should be apparent by this time no one is going to change anybodies mind. Perhaps this discussion has reached the end of the road???

 I'de have to agree. Yet I expect the circles to continue as a few think they have the ability to critique anything and determine for others what a masterpiece is or isn't. A lot of it seems to be those preferring simple compared to fancy. But as you said it goes beyond to boring and childish when they also feel a need to denigrate what they don't like or to just simply be offensive.

Cover your ears and close your eyes, the less you learn the happier you'll be. And, most importantly of all I suggest if you are offended by a thread don't continually come back to read it......unless of course you're trying to help get to 6,000 views.