Gun Engraving By Christopher Austyn Add to Watch List Watching View Watchlist >

Christopher Austyn is not a practicing gun engraver himself, but a prominent authority and author on the subject, best known for his well-regarded book, Gun Engraving.

He served as the head of the Modern Sporting Gun departments at major auction houses like Christie's and Bonhams, where he was a leading expert in valuing and documenting fine arms. 

Christopher Austyn's Expertise on Gun Engraving
Austyn is recognized as an international expert on sporting weapons and the art of their embellishment. He has dedicated his career to the study and appraisal of fine guns, particularly British examples, and has contributed significantly to the written history of the craft. 

Authoritative Book: His primary contribution to the field is the book Gun Engraving (1998, The Sportsman's Press), which is a key reference work for enthusiasts and collectors.

The book is a comprehensive survey of modern gun engravers and their work, tracing the lineage from historical masters to contemporary artists.
 

The book contains extensive, original archival material on influential early to mid-20th-century engravers like Harry Kell and Jack Sumner, whom Austyn famously dubbed "The Great Connector" and an important historical figure respectively.
 

Drawing on his time at auction houses, Austyn's work includes analysis of how engraving styles and quality affect the value of sporting guns, a crucial topic for collectors.
In his book, he features the work of contemporary engravers such as Ken Hunt, Geoffrey Casbard, and Malcolm Appleby, providing an overview of the modern state of the art. 

While Austyn is not the one holding the graver, his detailed research and writings have been instrumental in documenting and promoting the art of gun engraving.