Texas Firearms Engraver Otto Carter Completes Aesthetic-Style Cabot 1911 TTAG Project Gun

By Robert Farago

The art of engraving dates back to the dawn of human history. Archeologists have unearthed engraved stones from the Serengeti Plains of Africa carved some 500,000 years ago. Since that time, as civilizations rose and fell, artisans have used “push engraving” (using a hand tool to carve out material) or “chase engraving” (using a hammer or other tool to strike the carving tool) to add value to objects, ranging from the sacred to the profane. Specifically, firearms . . .

Europeans initially viewed firearms as mystical not-say-demonic devices. Thanks to their undeniable beauty and slowly improving utility, firearms became more commonplace through the 16th and 17th centuries. Even so, they remained handmade one-offs, reserved for nobility. As such, firearms were subject to the demands of fashion. As Kristen Hoff writes in the The History of Engraving . . .

The “Golden Age” of gun engraving is usually considered to be the second half of the 1800s. During this period, nearly all gun manufacturers created elegantly engraved firearms for their wealthier customers. American firearms engraving came into its own during this era, as it evolved into a large, flowing scrollwork. Firearms engraving continued into the 20th century, when it began …Read the Rest

Source:: Truth About Guns