I was doing some digging on my engraved 1899A and came up with this. Cody says it was sold to John Spittler in 1909. After finding an old thread here on the fire John was the stock making foreman and a master engraver himself. I know my gun has D engraving but it also has a lot more added then what D called for. Maybe he did some himself. Thoughts??
Looks like the bolt body,and the two engraved moose on the receiver bottom were added after the original "D" style engraving was done. I was thinking when it was returned to the factory Gough might have done it !!! Either way it is definately "one of a kind" beautiful rifle. Don
Dave Trauth has a D engraved 1899 with a lot of extra engraving including a moose on the bottom of the receiver. it appears on pages 38 to 43 in the engraving book.
wyo1895 With Savage never say never. For a copy of my book on engraved Savage lever actions rifles send a check for $80 to; David Royal, p.o. box 1271, Pinedale, Wy., 82941. I will sign and inscribe the book for you. [email protected]
I was doing some digging on my engraved 1899A and came up with this. Cody says it was sold to John Spittler in 1909. After finding an old thread here on the fire John was the stock making foreman and a master engraver himself. I know my gun has D engraving but it also has a lot more added then what D called for. Maybe he did some himself. Thoughts??
In 1914 at the Savage Arms company picnic he won the Fat Man's Race...
So from the other campfire thread... Spittler was in charge of the stock making dept at Newton Arms, and also engraver for however many Newton guns were engraved. When Spittler later returned to Savage somebody else took over engraving at Newton.
If Spittler did engraving for Newton, he had to learn it somewhere? Or possibly self-taught? I'm guessing he might have apprenticed for a while under Tue.
So he might have bought the gun and engraved it on his own time, like Tue did with the Enoch Tue and King guns. Based off the D engraving patterns from Savage.
I think there might be some name confusion also. There was a John Vincent Spitler (one T) who worked for Savage as a toolmaker in 1918, he'd have been 28 years old in 1909.
John Spittler (Savage) was foreman of the stock making department. Spittler was also the principal engraver until his return to Savage. At that time Lynn Hakes took over as engraver. Mr. Spittler joined with Newton Arms in February 1916.
“The Savage 99 Pocket Reference”. All models and variations of 1895’s, 1899’s and 99’s covered. Also dates, checkering, engraving.. Find at www.savagelevers.com
So he might have bought the gun and engraved it on his own time, like Tue did with the Enoch Tue and King guns. Based off the D engraving patterns from Savage.
Since the letter info per Joe includes "t/d, pistol grip, fancy wood", but not engraving I would tend to agree that it was engraved afterwards. Comparing the engraving against 2 similar engraved rifles in David's book and one can see subtle differences. Particularly in the layout of the E scenes and some detail areas. Tue was a master of duplication and stylistic differences aside, his layouts were spot on from rifle to rifle. This rifle has a similar feel to me as does the King rifle which was recorded as shipped to W.I. King. The King rifle too causes debate as to whether or not King engraved it as his family claims or if another(s) were involved. The moose on this rifle looks eerily similar to the King rifle was was made 2-3 years earlier. Interesting rifle and as previously said, one of a kind.
