Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors My new 1899

I created that document in 2018 with the best available information. Most of which I researched.
If/when we ever figure out with certainty what King's "engraving" period was, we can update it. Meanwhile, King is known and recorded as a stock carver ~1900-1910 which has been verified.
The total extend of Spittler knowledge is within this thread. It's all brand new and mostly unverified. Whad 'ya expect?

I knew that and I saved to for future reference. You diggers best keep diggin'

David mentioned a couple things on my rifle that stood out to him that didnt seem right. So i have been looking through the new engraved book and found the same odd things on other guns in the book. Dave Trauth’s 1899A takedown has the same flattened triangles in the same exact spots as mine. Pics 1-90 and 1-91.
Dick Johnson’s rifle has the same exact heart shaped things in the same spot as mine. Pic 4-35 and 4-36.
And on Brent Geistweidt’s 1899A, his animals look almost identical imo to mine. Pic 2-78 and 2-79.
Do we know who engraved these 3 rifles with the same features as mine?

Those are great observations. It makes me wonder if Spittler engraved some other rifles, or if Enoch Tue did these variations (unlikely, the Spittler and King rifles don't look like his work) or if more than one person worked on some of the rifles. This is likely. Maybe Spittler was learning engraving from Tue or some rush orders came in and one guy did some aspects of the engraving while the other did other things. Who Knows?

Also bear in mind that photos of rifle finish and engraving are very difficult to judge conclusively. In hand is always better. Even then may not be conclusive.

Previously I have been in contact with Roger Bleile who is probably the foremost knowledgeable engraver of our time and historian with FEGA (Firearms Engraving Guild of America).
He has studied engraving from Nimschke to present and has commented to me that unless a maker mark is present, it is difficult to tell for certain who a particular engraver was.

Keep an open mind while studying and comparing. Might be surprised where it ends up if/when other info comes available.