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CharleHunter
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Stevens Engraving Patterns
Feb 23rd, 2019 at 11:45pm
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Are there any informations sources that show or describe engraving patterns for Stevens 44 1/2s? The rifle action shown in the picture belonged to a famous local shooter and gun retailer. Adelaide refers to the Capital of South Australia where there is a history of German Ring Target Shooting. Note that the rifle is a full re-build as only the action body was found but does appear to be factory nickel plate.
  
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Redsetter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #1 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 10:19am
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Does not closely resemble engraving illustrations in Stevens catalogs I checked; in fact, the coverage is greater than is shown even on the highest priced models. What's particularly noticeable is the absence of that very strong border on the factory models.  (Not that a special pattern couldn't be ordered from the factory.)

What model no. is marked on the rcvr?
  
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Bill Lawrence
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #2 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 2:42pm
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As Red says, this engraving is more extensive than and bears little resemblance to standard factory patterns.  On the other hand, there are documented special orders that veer considerably away from those standards, including a centralized "name" in all-capitals - i.e., as with so many things back then, you could get what you were willing to pay for.  That being said, it's also just my personal opinion that the work here is a hair less polished than I would have expected, even allowing that on the relatively lower grades the designs were etched more often than cut, suggesting again just to me that Stevens never intended to compete with the likes of the Ulrich family.

Bill Lawrence
  
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frnkeore
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #3 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 3:38pm
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Here is one that is some what similar.

Frank
  

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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #4 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 5:01pm
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frnkeore wrote on Feb 24th, 2019 at 3:38pm:
Here is one that is some what similar.

Frank


Especially in the border decoration, which is actually a widely-used pattern, but not one of Stevens' "regular" patterns; probably just one favored by the particular engraver assigned to the job.  Workmanship seems to be of a higher grade, but then the magnification isn't as great as on the one above.   
  
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slumlord44
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #5 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 9:52pm
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I know a bit about Stevens but little about their engraving other than having seen a ton of pictures. What I do know is that there are no factory records and they did a lot of special order oddball work. Much of their work is not possible to document. Makes collecting intersting but also often furstrating. Beautiful rifle.
  
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CharleHunter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #6 - Feb 25th, 2019 at 5:35am
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Thanks for the replies, should have posted the other side as well, so here it is
  
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Redsetter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #7 - Feb 25th, 2019 at 10:01am
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Stands to reason the wood, sights, & other parts of the gun were equally fancy & expensive, making it rather incredible it was stripped down to the rcvr alone.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #8 - Feb 25th, 2019 at 10:25am
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Sometimes these once expensive, fancy guns got used, and abused. So on occasion I see them reworked into different configurations than they likely started life as. Then we fast forward to today, and someone buys the poorly reworked gun and strips off the less desirable wood and barrel with plans to redo it all. If the plan doesn't come to fruition they occasionally show up for sale as just the action, or maybe a barreled action.
I've purchased a couple actions that were factory engraved, and somehow parted from their original barrels and stocks. Always sad to see that, and wonder what they once looked like. But I've rebuilt the guns to what I hoped they started life as, and that's all I could do was guess and proceed from there.
  

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BP
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #9 - Feb 25th, 2019 at 4:54pm
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Uncountable guns of multiple "grades" were pulled apart over scores of years, with the actions ending up stashed away in old cigar boxes that collected dust sitting on the shelves, waiting to be used as the basis for something that was far more appealing to their respective owners... and that practice once kept a lot of gun parts dealers that have now mostly vanished from gun shows, in business for a time.
This link to Numrich Gun Parts shows that they still buy guns to be able to sell as parts  "of every make and model ".
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Nothing incredible there... it's how they've made their living for a very long, long time.

  

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CharleHunter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #10 - Feb 25th, 2019 at 10:21pm
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BP your comment is quite correct. The receiver was found in a biscuit tin on a rubbish dump. Fortunately the person that found it recognised what it was.
  
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frnkeore
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #11 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 3:08pm
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WOW, what a save!!!!

Frank
  

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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #12 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 5:37pm
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Curious as why no one seemed to think it was engraved by a local Australian engraver instead of Stevens? Does Talbot lake have any shooting provenance? Nice rifle would like to see the whole view.
  
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #13 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 6:20pm
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Bob I too tend to think it might not have been done in house by Stevens same as you. It just looks to be more heavy handed compared to their work that I have seen.
  

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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #14 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 7:28pm
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In 1913 there was a Narrandera Rifle Club. Narrandera is the site of Talbot Lake.
  
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #15 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 7:50pm
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bnice wrote on Feb 26th, 2019 at 5:37pm:
Curious as why no one seemed to think it was engraved by a local Australian engraver instead of Stevens?


Because the present owner's original question was whether it resembled known Stevens engraving patterns.  Consensus seems to be that there's no very close resemblance with the common Stevens patterns & styles, though the possibility of a custom order in an atypical style can't be excluded. 

No doubt there were many Australian engravers capable of doing the same work, but that's a different inquiry.  It could be pursued by looking up engravers in an Adelaide business directory of the early 20th C.   


  
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bnice
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #16 - Feb 26th, 2019 at 9:17pm
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Thanks, neat piece I really like pieces that tie to a club or area. I love seeing pieces from my home club it always adds to the item for me. Still like to see a picture of the whole gun if you get time. Thanks
  
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CharleHunter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #17 - Mar 7th, 2019 at 11:23pm
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Once again thanks all for the input. Just to make a couple of things clear. J. Talbot Lake was a noted world renowned South Australian Shooter (will post a picture of him next week) and proprietor of a well know gunsmithing shop for many, many years (up to late 50s or 60s). To go back to a previous comment by bnice, whilst there were quite a few famous local gold and silversmiths quite capable of completing this level of engraving, it is highly unlikely. Where would they get a Stevens style engraving pattern? Lake was most likely a Stevens agent here in Adelaide SA (yet to confirm) and would have ordered what he wanted. 

Trying to work this kind of stuff out makes it fun! Took the repro front off this morning and as you can all see by the photo it is a model "45".  The Ideal Range Rifle configuration fits with the style of shooting and "similar" 1885 Winchesters from the same era, club and match style shooting where the rifle was used.
  
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arlon
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #18 - Mar 7th, 2019 at 11:42pm
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I have a Stevens 52 that I think is factory engraved. I've seen one other 52 on an auction site that has basically identical engraving. I'd be surprised if the factory did the engraving on that 44 1/2. I'd guess local.
  
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CharleHunter
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #19 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:05am
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arlon wrote on Mar 7th, 2019 at 11:42pm:
I have a Stevens 52 that I think is factory engraved. I've seen one other 52 on an auction site that has basically identical engraving. I'd be surprised if the factory did the engraving on that 44 1/2. I'd guess local.


Beautiful rifle you have there. 

Still state that it is unlikely to be "locally engraved", this opinion is based on over 40 years of collecting and not having seen any other "locally engraved"  firearms of this type or engraving style. Yes there are some presentation firearms that have presentation plaques on them, yes there are locally made engraved exquisite silver trophies, yes there are locally made and engraved shooting medals but guns.... no. 

Now having said this, you watch them come out of the woodwork to prove me wrong.  Grin
  
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Bill Lawrence
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #20 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 9:06am
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Having now seen both sides of the OP's action and having compared them to other similar and known factory special-order work, my revised opinion is that the engraving most likely was done by Stevens.

Bill Lawrence
  
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #21 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 10:28am
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From what I've seen of Stevens engraving, it's all over the place as to patterns and both light and very heavy engraving. I'm certain that Stevens used several different engravers to have their actions engraved, as it's just not one style of engraving.
I had a Stevens Walnut Hill with similar heavy engraving, but not the personalized engraving the OP's gun has.
  

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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #22 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 10:39am
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Beautiful 52!
  
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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #23 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 4:54pm
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I did some Stevens Engraving research when having my CPA Schuetzen engraved. Looked at catalogs photos etc. Friend of mine and shooter at our club, full time professional engraver, did the work, his first CPA. Paul Shuttleworth sent him a original action as reference . He has since done many rifles for CPA.

His opinion based on a lot of firearm engraving experience was the guns were engraved to order. Buyer would probably specify from fairly standard designs that could be altered to suit.  Either what he wanted done or more likely how much he wanted to spend. Probably a mix of in house and contracted outside engravers.

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Re: Stevens Engraving Patterns
Reply #24 - Mar 8th, 2019 at 8:27pm
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Here is my factory engraved Stevens 44 1/2.
  

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