The art of the master engraver

A best gun is undoubtedly characterised by the finest manufacture; today, it is often defined by the fine art that adorns it, too

- JANET MENZIES

In his manifesto for the Arts & Crafts movement, founder William Morris wrote: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” The best London gun fulfils these criteria perfectly: it is of absolute utility and a personal delight to its owner. Morris was writing in 1882, in his collection of essays Hopes and Fears for Art, at the height of the Victorian era. The Victorians believed every object, no matter how utilitarian, could be turned into a thing of beauty, from a sewage pumping station to a railway arch. It was in this mood of artistic optimism that the hand engraving of bespoke shotguns from the great makers, including Purdey and Holland & Holland, began to reach the heights.

Elaborate engraving of metal and steel weapons is a human instinct. Gun engraver Vince Crowley is quoted by The Hand Engravers Association: “The engraving of steel is a centuries-old practice, which has essentially been used to embellish weapons.” In the Bronze Age, blades and armour were engraved; by the 15th century, engraving found its way onto firearms.