burl-stocked fowling piece photos

[Captchee]

I would have to agree with the others Jim . that is simply outstanding

[The Goose]

Just gorgeous!

[Jim Kibler]

Thank you everyone!  A little more background...  This gun is representative of a fowling piece made somewhere in continental Europe at the very end of the 17th or early 18th centuries.  It largely follows French designs, but is not quite as academic.  A likely place of construction would have been Belgium or Germany.  

The designs are pretty strongly baroque in nature.  This of course influences everything from stock form to engraved decoration.  I agree that this time period is very often overlooked and the quality of decorative arts has seldom been surpassed since.

Burl maple was fashionable in Europe and England from around 1660 or 1670 through the first quarter of the 18th century.  It's very difficult to work into a stock for a variety of reasons.  If it wasn't for the beauty, it would be about the last wood I would choose to use.  This was stained with a combination of tannic acid and iron nitrate.  The finish was Tried and True Oil Varnish.  For those inquiring, my blog posts detail the finishing procedure I used.

I hope to do more work of this style in the future.  Maybe something like this, but more elaborate with a lot of silver wire work.  So...  if your seriously interested in this type of work, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement.  Any questions at all, just ask!





Jim

[jerrywh]

 Jim.
 This gun is way above average and in my opinion puts you in the class of such makers as John Bivins
 There are not many makers in that class.
 Tell us about the fluted barrel transition please.   

[gumboman]

Beautiful. A work of art. Jim your work is far beyond outstanding. You are gifted.

[Rolf]

Beauitful work!! I'm speechless. Don't know what else to say.  Could you tell us a little about the lock you used?

Best regards
Rolf

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have the two book series:  "The Art of the Gunmaker".  I've been studying these books for over thirty years, and so have often marveled at the guns made during the Baroque period.  To see a contemporary piece that in many ways surpasses those wonderful examples causes my heart to pitter-patter.  Congratulations Jim.  Humanity is in your debt for your art.

[Jim Kibler]

Jerry,

Thank you for the kind words.  It means a lot.  I just keep trying to get better and there's no end to this process.  

The fluted barrel transition between the octagon section and the round section was first formed by filing off the corners from the octagon.  These panels were then outlined with a graver and the background chiseled out.  After chiseling, riffler files and stones were used to clean up the background.  A lot of work...  I outlined each with an engraved line as well.  This general type of barrel treatment is typical for this period and style of gun.  

Rolf,

The lock is a compilation of parts.  It started as castings from Chambers.  Those of his round faced Germanic lock.  It was much modified.  The cock was replaced with a casting I made.  The frizzen and pan were re-shaped considerably.   The relief border was chiseled around the frizzen and the bit of relief work was cut at the tail of the lock.  I put a lot of time in this, but it was still far better than starting from nothing.

Jim

[PPatch]

Jim I love that overall satin finish on the lock, tell me something on how you achieved it. Guessing here, but I would have taken it to a near polish then knocked it back with a rougher grit.

dave

[Daryl]

Spectacular, Jim - truly outstanding.

[BrushCountryAg03]

There's no other way to put it:  THIS IS THE MOST GORGEOUS FOWLER I HAVE EVER SEEN.

It's because of master craftsmen like yourself that I'm spured on to become better...Thank you for sharing your work with us.

Will

[jerrywh]

 Jim.
Thanks for telling us about how you did barrel work. A lot of people think talented people are just gifted by birth. What some don't seem to realize is that most talent is earned by hard work and persistent study. I believe there is a God given gift. That gift is a love of beauty and the desire to create that beauty with ones own hands.  To some degree it is a curse because it can never seem to be satisfied. It is a never ending pursuit for perfection that can probably never be fulfilled. The gift is rare and you have it. Never quit.

[tlallijr]

Beautiful !

[cmac]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Museum or beyond there!

[eddillon]

I believe the Kuchenreuters are rolling in their graves with envy!

[smart dog]

I believe the Kuchenreuters are rolling in their graves with envy!

Hi Ed,
Screw the Kuchenreuters.  Bongarde, Piraube, Dolop, and Gorgo are smiling because they see that someone today can still match their work.

dave

[eddillon]

Or, perhaps, surpass!

[Jim Kibler]

Jim I love that overall satin finish on the lock, tell me something on how you achieved it. Guessing here, but I would have taken it to a near polish then knocked it back with a rougher grit.

dave

I don't remember exactly how I polished the lock, but I likely took it to somewhere around 400 grit.  At most 600 grit.  I probably polished it a bit with some gray Scotch-Brite and 400 grit Clover Leaf compound after this.  Finally, I used some pumice on a rag and tooth brush to polish it up a bit more.  I don't try for too high of a finish. 

I hear what you are saying, Jerry.   I hope more people might be interested in working in this style in the future. 

Thanks again,
Jim

[flatsguide]

Jim,
Thanks fot explaining some of your techniques. Truly world class work. You mentioned casting the cock. Did you carve it wax then have it investment cast ?
Thanks Richard

[Jeger Justnes]

A stunning piece of art, thanks for sharing 

Best regards from Norway

[James]

I'm in no position to say anything other than what a beautiful piece of work I think you've done. Not to steal any of your thunder, but I think I could stare at just the grain and finish on the butt stock.  Wonderful work on your part and on the part of the tree.

[WKevinD]

Jim,
Outstanding I've seen alot of nice fowlers but this is in a class unto itself. Thanks for sharing.
Kevin

[James Rogers]

Encouraging and exciting to see many embracing the earlier styles!!!!

[fastfrankie]

     WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Kibler]

flatsguide,

I was fortunate to have a mold for an original cock that I started with.  I had this cast and then did some reshaping.  If I didn't have this, I would have made a master out of polyurethane foam board and then made a wax mold from this.  The process for this is detailed in a blog post I put together.  If you go to www.jimkibler.net and check out the blog, you should find it. 

Thanks again everybody for the super nice response.  Like James has mentioned, I really hope this might spark a little more interest in this period.

I'd also like to mention that although this gun is sold, you can still have a piece of it.   As many of you might know, my girlfriend, Katherine, and I are making sterling silver jewelry.  The thumbpiece design used on this gun has been incorporated into a pendant.  This and several other designs are available at www.galenabelle.com 

Oh, we just finished a new design we affectionately refer to as the "Little Bastard".

Check them out!

Jim