FEGA 2009 - Mike Dubber and Barry Hands win best engraved firearms awards

[Steve Lindsay]

Congratulate both Mike Dubber and Barry Hands for winning awards at FEGA this past weekend. :whoo:

Mike won FEGA Best Engraved Hand Gun award and Barry won FEGA Best Engraved Rife award as well as Engravers Choice award of merit
I spoke with Mike on the phone earlier today. He arrived home to an ice storm and no electricity. Reports say it could be a week before power is back.

2006 CCA "Louisville Gun" Engraved by Mike Dubber. It won 2009 FEGA Best Engraved Hand Gun







This Rifle is a Hartmann and Weiss System Hagn Stocked by Jerry Fisher, engraved by Barry Lee Hands.
it won:
1.Best engraved Rifle
2.Engravers Choice award of merit





Mike and Barry both have websites. Be sure to check them out.
Mike Dubber: www.FirearmsEngraving.com
Barry Lee Hand: www.BarryLeeHands.com

Congratulatate Mike and Barry for the awesome jobs. :yesnod:


Steve

[Daniel Houwer]

As for something being inspiring,,,, :whoo:
Congratulations Mike and Barry!

[Tim Wells]

Who took those kick a** photos? Those are great!

[WVEngraver]

Fantastic work.

I've heard rumors that the vaults in Ft. Knox are actually empty and all the bullion is gone. I see now where it might have gone.

[carl bleile]

Mike and Berry excellent work, easy to view,well ballanced,original design,great cutting and I'm sure a lot of work.
Carl Bleile
southwest,Ohio

[airamp]

Congratulations Mike Dubber and Barry Hands,

Beautiful work and thanks for being part of this forum, I for one appreciate your work and input. It really is inspiring.

Congratulations Mike Dubber and Barry Hands,

Beautiful work and thanks for being part of this forum, I for one appreciate your work and input. It really is inspiring.

Barry Lee Hands:
Master Gunsmith Abe Chaber of Connecticut (my first cozen) Says Congratulations also.

AirAmp

[Barry Lee Hands]

Barry Lee Hands, Dateline Las Vegas, Comfort Inn Suites
Thank you my friends.
Yeah, Mikes pretty good, he deserves that handgun award. Looks like a Francolini period Colt custom shop job.
I thought there was some mistake when I got the Award of Merit, and then it was compounded with The Best engraved Rifle award.
I did the Photos of the Fisher Rifle.
I might add Bob Evans won" Most original inlay Award"
Lee Griffith won Engravers Choice Award of Merit for his Shotgun.
And Joe Rundell won the big one, "Engravers Choice" for his fabulous shotgun with 3000 hours into it.
Say hello to Mr. Chaber for me airamp.

[jlseymour]

Congratulation Mike and Barry, a much deserved award...
Beautiful work...
Lucky to see Joe Rundells shotgun at the engrave-in 08, WOW!!!
Congratulation Joe...
Jerry

[D.DOUGLAS]

A pleasure to view gentlemen. Congrats to all. Barry i remember seeing a preview of this leaf style on a drawing awhile back you posted or it was similar. I really like it! I am inspired. Doug

[MikeDubber]

Thanks for the kind comments from everyone. It's always gratifying to win one of the FEGA Awards, the friendly competition is always keen and everyone submits their best work - on any given day the results could be different because all the work is outstanding and it's really difficult to choose one piece over another.

In saying that, I have to refer candidly to the work on Barry's rifle: it's the best and cleanest example I've ever seen of the kind of art we studied in Winston Churchill's Grand Master's Course in 2006. Barry has absorbed all the wonderful style and grace from Winston's instruction and put it into one supreme effort... and developing his own style and presentation at the same time. I'm happy my Colt did'nt have to compete against Barry's rifle!

At the same time, Joe Rundell's work on the shotgun that won "The Engravers Choice" and other awards, was clearly the best in those catagories. Beyond his magnificent engraving, Joe's stock carving was spectacular, and it all fit together in a virtuoso of wood and metal art.

Lee Griffith's winner was as good as it gets, and what can I say about my old Friend Bob Evans! Bob is truly one of the all-time greats, and a devoted advocate for FEGA. It's hard to believe anyone could still produce work of this quality at 80! See ladies and gentlemen, there's always time ahead for your best work to come out.

Mike Dubber

[Vanknife]

Congratulations Barry and Mike, Stunning work and highly inspirational. Thanks for being part of this world and willingness to share the art at its best.

Cheers

"VAN"

[James]

congratulations, barry lee hands, another job well done.ill try to e-mail you for information regarding your pictures. james mcguir

[rod]

A hearty congratulations, Mike, and Barry!

For your well deserved awards, and wonderful to see these superior photographs that come closer to displaying the art and craft of your works. Truly inspiring.

Mike, I enjoyed your Monday morning seminar and found it valuable.

I was particularly impressed by the fine bright cutting on the bracelets, and impressed by you "Eastern bright cut" as distinct from Western. I too would like to develop my bright cutting in a direction that would merge back in time towards the 18th century.

May I ask if the bracelets were cut mostly with flat graver, and at what stage in bright cutting would you put aside your uniform heel 120 graver in favour of a flat?

best

Rod

[BrianPowley]

Aw yes! A big Congratulations to Mike,Barry,Lee,Bob and Joe.

The works were stellar and the bar was set pretty darn high.
Mike's seminar on Monday was excellent.
Ron Smith was awarded the James B. Meek Award. Mike Dubber did a fantastic job on the plaque. (I don't know where you get the time to do all of these things)
I appreciate the time it took to set it up and demonstrate the techniques of Eastern Bright cut and lettering.

[Eric Watson]

Wish I could have been there to say this in person. Congrats Mike and Barry. All that work adds one more beautiful piece in the world to admire.

[badsbsnf81]

Absolutely stunning work by the gentlemen.