Ideas for engraving the thumb escutcheon on a Kibler fowler

[Greg Hartman]

Any ideas for engraving the thumb escutcheon on a mid-grade fowler?? Pics of what you have done with the escutcheon on your fowlers? Most Kibler fowlers I see aren't engraved.

Pretty soon I'll be ready to start engraving my 2nd Kibler kit - a 16 gauge fowler.



I've built lots of longrifles and Jägers over the years; and am very familiar with the Germanic/PA Dutch engraving styles.  I recently completed my first ever Kibler kit - a Woodsrunner.  Really enjoyed making a correct Berks County 'school' rifle out of those parts - lots of fun without the usual drudgery.



So, I'm trying a Kibler fowler kit.  Very high quality parts, just like the first one. BUT, I'm not very familiar with English engraving and have never done it. From what I can see, English engraving is generally better and more complex, so it should be fun to give it a try.

I've done a good bit of research on the engraving of original 1760-1770 mid-grade English export fowlers and have come up with some designs for the buttplate tang, trigger guard and sideplate, but haven't found a whole lot for the thumb piece. I've found a few that appear to be an initial surrounded by a rather elaborate border.  Another idea I've been bouncing around in my head is to use the very old family coat-of-arms - see pic below. That could be fit in the space, but it is, of course, Germanic and reproducing the detail might require finer engraving than that which seems to have commonly existed on the 18th century on mid-grade export guns.



Remembering that this is not supposed to be a high-grade gun, any thoughts or ideas?

Any pics you may have of this part on an original would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your kind help.

Greg

[Mattox Forge]

Hi,

If the escutcheon was engraved, it was usually with the crest of the gentleman's arms,  or the owner's initials. Since you found a coat of arms, you might consider using the crest, which is the half stag, and the pretzel looking thing sitting on the top of the helmet.

A rose on the guard bow, and line borders would do for the remaining engraving if you wanted to reproduce a gentleman' on a budget's gun.

Mike

[James Rogers]

Also include the wreath

[Greg Hartman]

Thank you both.  It's not hard to image that these export guns were made with a border on the escutcheon, but the middle blank for the new owner to personalize (or not) kinda like modern guns with stock ovals - the initial plate on my 12 gauge Famars live pigeon gun (imagine that inletting!):



I like the idea if incorporating a stylized version of the stag instead of just an initial, so whoever ends up with the gun after I am gone doesn't feel the need to change the initial.  I never put my initial on stock ovals, so why change?   

Greg

[Mattox Forge]

Normally it was only the crest if the owner was entitled to a coat of arms, no initials.

Mike

[foresterdj]

I name each gun, my Fowler is "Freya", so that is what I put on mine.

Annabelle
Bertha
Clementine
Dorothy
Evelyn
Freya
pending for this winter is Geraldine
and for a pending Kibler Hawken, it will be Henrietta

Yes, they are in alphabetical order, as built

[t.caster]

I just did a simple border and customers initials.

[davec2]

Just did some engraving for a couple of customers. One was for a Kibler fowler. Here is the thumb piece…..