CLA Show -- Discussion starter for after the show

[Curtis]

Mike,

IMHO there was a plethora of cool guns there at the show.  So many it makes my head spin when I try to remember them all.  I should have had my camera and taken some notes to go with the pictures.....   Among the many there was a young fella whose name I do not remember, that had several Lehigh style rifles that were simple, elegant and I thought the architecture was very good on them.  There was a display of antique trade guns and one of frontier smoothbores  that were great for study.  Ken Gahagen had a fantastic display of his work and a couple of originals.  Jud Brennan had some real eye candy.  Many others as well!

Curtis

[cmac]

Yeah too many to choose really! But come on guys 3 favorites??

[PGosnell]

Okay. 3 things that I didnt bring to the show that I really enjoyed seeing up close.

1.  The original Nicholas Hawk on Bill Shipman's table.  Such a beautiful rifle with graceful lines and an amazing patchbox
2.  Ian Pratt's iron mounted fowler, super cool, simple, elegant.  Too bad it was a lefty
3.  Roland Cadle's Carlisle Barracks screw tip horn at Lord Nelson's display

[Ky-Flinter]

Per Gary's great assignment, here's my two picks.











This antique is by Christian Hawken.  The owner graciously allowed Jeff T. and I  to handle the rifle and take pictures.  I prefer rifles with straight butt stock lines, so I was drawn to this rifle.  What struck me when handling the rifle was that I could barely feel the carving, but it can still be seen so well.  Yep, I would take her home with me!









This contemporary piece is by Jim Kibler.  I prefer a new rifle to look like a new rifle, but be styled appropriately for the period.  I admire the crisp, low carving and small subtle details on this rifle.  Yeah, I’d take this one home too.

I saw many other wonderful guns at the show.  I was fooled by 3 different Jud Brennan guns…. I’ll admit it, I thought they were antiques!  The display of British trade guns for Indians was very interesting and included pistols…. I didn’t know that.  Mitch’s “Hunters of Kentucky” rifle looked even better in person.  And Tim Crosby must have had 100 horns on his table.  How does that guy turn out so many great horns??  Don Getz's current pistol build has the sweetest trigger pull, ever.  Oh, yeah, I got to see a bunch of my old ALR friends and meet some new ALR friends.

-Ron

[Curtis]

Arkansas Traveler,

The Nicholas Hawk rifle and Bill Shipman's bench copy of it were the guns on Bill's table I was reffering to in my earlier post.  Thanks for remembering who built the original!  For some reason I was drawing a blank.  Awesome rifles.

Here is a link to pics of the rifles on Bill's site:  http://www.billshipman.com/Hawk_Gallery.htm

Curtis

[Acer Saccharum]

Link to I Pratt fowler mentioned: http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2012/06/fowler-by-ian-pratt.html

[Larry Pletcher]

Arkansas Traveler,

The Nicholas Hawk rifle and Bill Shipman's bench copy of it were the guns on Bill's table I was reffering to in my earlier post.  Thanks for remembering who built the original!  For some reason I was drawing a blank.  Awesome rifles.

Here is the photo I took at Bill's table:



Regards,
Pletch

[rich pierce]

There's just so much to see and Susan and I could only be there Saturday.  I'm seeing things in these pictures I completely missed at the show!

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well there were so many that I liked a lot ...phew overload...

This is one gun I like a lot. the workmanship is surely fine but the thing I like about it is the sculpted architecture and the innovative carving.

The fowling piece on the bottom by Alan Sandy - Elegant! http://www.scarletscarab.com/allansandy.htm










I can't seem to get this one to turn over!!

[Tim Crosby]

There's just so much to see and Susan and I could only be there Saturday.  I'm seeing things in these pictures I completely missed at the show!

  I was there for setup on Thursday, all day Friday and Saturday and still did not see it all. Looking is one thing Seeing is another.

  Tim C.

[rich pierce]

Hard to focus when you're making sure everything's going right!  Thanks for all you do.

[cmac]

You guys have my kinda taste. The Kibler rifle and the Sandy fowler are very nice pieces! I was at the show both days and still notice stuff I missed. My friend and I where discussing how we felt dizzy or drunk after an hour or so each day.... I think just awe and trying to take it all in.

[B Shipman]

I also liked that Kibler rifle. Not complicated but perfect artistic balance throughout.
Here's a really interesting antique by Jacob Young. The screws are not brass but covered with a hard gold alloy called "rose gold". Other interesting features. The thumbpiece is secured by a pin passing from behind the tang thru a tab. The cheekpiece inlay is secured by a screw under the cheekpiece thru a tab. Note the scooped wedges.

[G-Man]

As far as contemporary pieces at the show, Jud Brennan had another gun he just did based on the Thomas Simpson/Mansker rifle and althoguh I have seen photos of the original and his other copy, I had never gotten to see his interpretation of Simpson's work first hand, and it was really stunning.  Really fun  too to be able to walk across the hall and compare it with the Jacob Young rifle  that Bill just posted photos of, as well as a fantastic rifle that Wayne Elliot had on display by George Long - as all of these rifles appear to be related in a group of very talented southern gunmakers.  There are many things I like about this group of rifles, but to try to pin it down to a few elements I think it is primarily the architecture and creative metalwork on the rifles in this group that I find so appealing.

Guy