A Piece Of A Henry’s Story

A Piece Of A Henry’s Story

Every now and then I get a request to authenticate an engraving.  Since I’m required by law to record receipt and disposition of all firearms, I can at least furnish some details. 

Not long ago I received an email requesting any information I might provide about a firearm if I had done the work. In this case, the current owner saw James White Engr. 1997 on the bottom of the receiver.  My guess would be that led him to my website and the query as to whether I was that particular James White. 

I asked that he send pictures for me to look at, and the pictures here are what I received. They proved I did the job and the year, but checking my ledger gave me the name of the customer and where he lived.

Looking at my pattern book revealed a smoking I’d taken of the finished job, and the drawings I’d made with notations. It also proved without a doubt his gun was the same as the smoked one, as the details of his photos matched it exactly.  No two engravings could ever be that perfectly alike if cut by hand, no matter how good the engraver (I have a book that shows how microscopic details of engravings can prove the identity of the engraver).

I had a good friend who lived in Nome who had a small gunshop there (two shipping containers welded together side by side with the center walls cut out). Slim recommended me to his friend, who then commissioned me to engrave the Henrys. They weren’t done at the same time, so there would be a few more minor differences. 

The owner died, and they have obviously been separated at some time.