away for awhile

[Rich Hambrook]

Hello folks. Well I've been away from this forum for quite some time. Funny thing is.....I really miss it. With all the projects going on and the hunting season it goes without saying that I've been up to my elbows in monkeys! I thought that I would share a few things that I've gobbled up on my plate for the past few months.

Thank you for looking.
PICT0089.jpg

PICT0090.jpg

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[ember]

That is some very beautiful work!

[KDavid]

Beautiful work Rich, we missed you

[Chapi]

Very nice, glad you are back!

[Daniel Houwer]

Thats some stunning engraving rich

[Roger Bleile]

Very fine work Rich. I recognize the gold inlayed superposed as a Felix Funken design. Did you do repair engraving on that one or have to replicate it from scratch?

Roger

[Rich Hambrook]

Thank you guys for all your kind compliments.
Roger, very good on the design catch. (For those of you that may not know which one Roger is speaking of, it is the "blued gun") There are not very many of these around. The customer loved that pattern so much that he requested me to replicate it. But if you study it closely you will see that there are some design changes. After studying a few pre-war midas guns, I noticed that they were all different in one way or another. I don't like to duplicate other engravers patterns but I will if I can't persuade them to go in a different direction and the originator doesnt have a problem. But in this case its impossible to get the great Mr. Funken's blessing. In addition, I sign my name on the firearm so that it can not be mistaken or passed off as an "original". It will just be seen as an "upgrade". There are too many phony upgrades out there that other engravers have done, not signed and have tried to pass of as originals. This is slowly distroying the market for original collectable guns. I hope that eventually more fine gun collectors will seek me out for my abilities and talent and proudly display them as a "Hambrook engraved" firearm. I will continue to use people like the extrodinary engravers on this Forum to inspire me and humble me to get to that point.

Best regards,
Rich

[Beecher]

Hi Rich,

I am the owner of the pre-war Midas pattern gun that you engraved. I haven't found your signature yet, where is it? I didn't know who did the work until I found this forum. I am delighted with your work, as you said, it is a tiny bit different than Funken's guns. Another question: can we get access to his dairies? The Browning book published some of his photos of his engravers and some of his work. I would love to see his comments on the pre-war midas pattern! Keep up the good work.

[Rich Hambrook]

Beecher,
Well don't I feel about stupid. After all that talk I made about signing the work I do and then I pulled a dumb dumb and didn't sign yours! As I told you on the phone today , I was hurried by the commissioner and I "plain Ole' forgot". I would be honored if you sent it back to me so I can sign it. As far as the "dairies" of Felix Funken, I am not aware of them. I do know the author of the latest A-5 book and when he did his research, he had to get special permission to enter and look at the archives in Belgium. I will do some asking around for you.

Best regards,
Rich