13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
GOOD BOOK, BUT OTHERS ARE BETTER, September 19, 1997
This review is from: Winchester Engraving (Hardcover)
Being a serious Firearms engraver I have seen many, many, books on firearms engraving. This book is only "fair" compaired to, for example, "Steel Canvas" (by same Author). I purchased it hopeing for lots of Model 94 engravings, but there are few. Most of the engravings are of pre-94 receivers and most photos are Black & White, and some are of only poor to fair quality. I thought this book was over priced for the material it contained. Again I would point the engraver or collector of books on firearms engraving to "Steel Canvas" as a book with better quality photos, better ideas, and better overall quality in general
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
woops! -- I was wrong!!, July 3, 2004
This review is from: Winchester Engraving (Hardcover)
Back in 1997 when I wrote my first review, I was looking for a specific Winchester to engrave -- the classic 1894. I had several lined up and needed ideas, fast. Then I began to engrave rifles for some of the Cowboy Action Shooting and Single Action folks -- the 1866's and 1873's -- thank God I had this book handy -- even the black and white photos were a God-send. I do believe I did RL Wilson a disservice with my first review. With more experience comes more wisdom, and with wisdom, insight.
The book may still be more for the engraving crowd, but I now believe that others should still have a look - it is astonishing. The thing to keep in mind is that 1866 was a long time ago and lots of fine art has passed away during the last 138 years. And sometimes all that remains are `smoke-pulls' - a kind of negative image of the engraving which have been saved in scrap books and journals which have preserved over time. So of course they are not as flashy and glossy as full color photos - but they are all that exist of a style or an engraver or an idea.
This book has helped me a LOT over time - and it's time to correct my mistake while I remember to do it - take it off my `to do' list. Heck, I STILL learn stuff from reading the text when I take my eyes off the engravings - from `primitive scratchings' to Full Flourish Ornate Victorian Inlay Overkill - an amazing book. Again though, if you are looking for a coffee table book, Steel Canvas (same author) is a rather wonderful panorama of the astonishing vast array of "hard metal" firearm engraving - but if you are a Winchester lover (when I grew up it was the Marlin vs. Winchester lovers, which is the same as Ford vs. Chevy or PC vs. Mac arguments - the difference has always been both the same) - the book is a wonderful visual history of the firearm as well as a collection of what others have created on the different shaped `canvas' each model presents.
And so, I must admit that over time I have come to this book even when I know what I am looking for or at. Even after reading it and looking at it (two different activities) for the seven years or more since I bought it before I wrote the review, I am still amazed and thankful that R.L. Wilson put together this book for all of us. Yes, it's expensive, but the audience is small, and the work Wilson did is tedious and time consuming - you get what you pay for. And part of what you are paying for is the time and effort Wilson put into collecting the data and photos for this book.
It could be better, but I don't see anyone stepping up to take that task to fulfillment or to try to fill his boots. Even my pacifist college English Teacher was amazed at how beautiful an art form firearm engraving can be - she is one of the few who are enlightened enough to see the true transcendence and beauty of the art and not focus upon the weapon. It's why we still communicate after a million years - I believe others might be able to focus like this as well.
4 stars and not 5 stars because of the quality of some of the photos - but several very beautiful smoke-pulls that still, after seven or more years still astonish me. Mr. Wilson, it was a near-sighted single and narrow minded person with less foresight and wisdom who wrote the first review. Ignorance is sometimes an excuse. And I apologize.
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