Interesting observation . “ Up or Out “ many of them must have seen the handwriting on the wall and moved on. I’m sure some stuck with engraving and advanced their careers outside of FN either abroad or here in the states.
Thank you for the observation on the number of engravers and the shift in the tide.

Thanks for the acknowledgements. I re-thought this statement.....…….and should add, ……. You could have demonstrated the ability to execute the Midas grade (for instance) to an acceptable standard, yet the engravers with long-standing seniority had secured the privilege to execute the more difficult (and higher-paying) patterns, especially in a declining market.

Makes perfect sense . I would hazard a guess , as with any corporate environment that there would also be the usual teachers pets and brown nosers that would garner the bosses favor. It would be interesting to know who left FN and found success on their own .

Thank you for the excellent information and dialogue, Anatidae.

Captjsjr poses an interesting question:

We all know that Angelo Bee left and found success in the USA. But I agree with Captjsjr, it would be interesting to know who else left and where they ended up.

CFB

CFB , there’s a good project for you . Take the names of the engravers in Schwing from say ‘65 on and run a google search on them.
And please let us know what you find !

captjsjr,

A worthy project, indeed!

If only I didn't have a day job! Perhaps in retirement. Perhaps by then Schwing will have published a new book called The Browning Superposed #2, and save me the trouble!

While Schwing's new book would still have the Superposed as the star of the show, I'd like to see his sequel focus more on an "inside look" at the Engravers at FN/Browning, their bios, their personalities, the dynamics of the Engraving Shop at FN, Funken's leadership, post-Funken leadership by Watrin and Vrancken, hierarchy (and the politics behind it), etc.

Would that be cool?

CFB

CFB , I agree completely, you and I have the same problem. We are still ( as W.C.Fields said ) in search of the elusive “sponduits “.
It’s amazing how much of the information we seek ( out side of Schwing ) is out there. But you need time and the drive to dig . In the meantime , all we can do is devote what time and energies we have. A book would make it easy but what fun is just quoting someone else’s work. The research and conjecture based on intuition and knowledge of human nature is the interesting part.
As long as all the interested parties stay in touch and share what they have found , it will all come together. Let’s keep the Browning forum active !

Coincidentally (today), I discovered 4 90+minute audio files in the Library of Congress, recorded by the US serviceman whose name is inscribed on the bottom of one of my 2 post-liberation guns. 371 minutes of war remembrances. On November 20, 1944, his Engineering Combat Battalion, (en route to Maastricht Netherlands) camped one night in Fort Eben-Emael 12 miles Northeast of Liege. I started with tape 2 of 4 and heard the following in the first 25 minutes - in the original owner's Missouri dialect:
While this is not a great revelation historically, it is added provenance for the history of the gun and the original owner's memory - spoken in his own words. He served in Europe for 4 years, 7 months.

Fort Eben-Emael was actually part of the Liege defense (4 large 'outer' fortifications). There were several smaller forts in and around the city itself. Eben-Emael was breached by 75 German paratroopers who dropped explosives into the gun ports on May 10, 1940 - thus opening the corridor for the Germans into Belgium, and began the German occupation of Liege. Do a Wikipedia search for Fort Eben-Emael (its artillery built in Liege) and the Siegfried Defense Line.

There is so much we don't know - and take for granted. That was truly the greatest generation.

What an incredible find ! I admire the insight and perseverance to search the library of Congress . That approach never would have occurred to me .
I think you may be mistaken about the historic significance however. First off this find lends some unknown facts about one of the “ Liberation” guns of which there are more out there. And secondly it offers some insight into a serviceman in the middle of one of the worlds most pivotal wars who just decided to “mosey” on down and order a Superposed ! What a guy to have a drink with. Truly one of the Greatest generation. Keep digging Anatidae

P.S. thank you for sharing this find.

Thanks for your comments - I thought there might be a few folks on here that would appreciate a 'documented' story behind the gun. The date of his visit to FN is roughly a month before the December 21, 1944 photo (of Funken and others engraving in the basement at FN during a buzz bomb attack), was taken. The Battle of the Bulge began 5 days earlier on December 16 and lasted through January 25, 1945.

On December 12, his Battalion received notice that they were going back to the US on 30-day leave and then be re-deployed to Okinawa. Obviously he had already placed his order for the gun sometime between November 21 and December 12, 1944. But on December 17 they received orders to stay and provide engineering support. The 1st Army was based in Liege at the time, to counter the Germans' Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) just Southeast of Liege. So the Engineer Combat Battalion returned to Fort Eben-Emael which became their base of operation 12 miles NE of Liege, in support of the 9th Army at Maastricht, Netherlands.

Angelo Bee.
Best part was the interaction with the artist and knowing from whence it came.

Anything to indicate when he picked the gun up ?

I'll know in a few days, but it was sometime between Nov 21, 1944 and May 8, 1945 because that is the last date listed in the journal for guns given to servicemen.

Amazing story Anatidae! History comes to life!

Anatidae:

Wow! Great information!!

I love hearing hearing the stories behind the gun.

Thanks for sharing! Keep it coming!!

CFB

2lo8s,

Thanks for the pics! I'm glad your project turned out so well.

PLEASE share any tidbits of information you received in your interactions with Mr. Bee. Some of us are dying to know his experiences at FN!

Thanks!

CFB

Sorry I read too many auction listings.
MIB=Made in Belgium AIP=Assembled in Portugal
I usually see this notation with descriptions of BAR's thought I understand they were AIP way before marked so!
Bill

Can anyone identify what this is?
I never saw a B2G with gold inlays before.
It's the only pic I've got so far. More on Monday but hopefully someone over here has seen one before.

You are correct. All of the engraving details are consistent with a factory-engraved B2g Grade. The gold subjects are uncommon on a standard B2g, but the gold subjects and their details on this example are consistent with those I've studied on higher grades (M2) with gold subjects.

One exception: the pheasant scene is normally on the right side with ducks on the left - on a standard B2g Grade.

'Will look forward to more photos as they become available. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not familiar with the B2G.

But I just wanted to say "congrats" on a nicely engraved Superposed!

Please post more pics!!

CFB