The Field – August 2019

WWW.THEFIELD.CO.UK 89

Butstraitenedtimesproducestraitshoot-
erssuchasGrulla’sJoséLuisUsobiaga,who
sawopportunityin decline.He recognised
thatthe ageofwhatAmerican gunwriter
MichaelMcIntoshcalled“entry-level”dou-
bleswasgoneforeverandthatthe future lay
withluxury,qualityfirearms.
William Evans appreciatedGrulla qual-
ity when the Spaniards brought examples
oftheirworktotheCLAGameFairin2009.
Impressed,EvansworkedcloselywithGrulla
todevelopa newmodel,thePallMall,which
waslaunchedin2010.Thefollowingyearthe
firmbecamesoleUKagencyfortheSpanish
maker. The Pall Mall model is named for
Evans’homebetween 1896 and1944.
ThePallMalleasyopenerchosenbyour
readerhas29inbarrelsand2¾inchambers
thatarefittedwithTeaguechokes.Theyare
steel shot proofed. “The point about the
guns is that I love side-by-sides and am

somethingofa traditionalistinthatregard.

However, I wanted an extremelyversatile

pairofguns thatI couldfutureproof,”he

said,continuing,“I’veshotover-and-unders

manytimesbutjustdon’tfindthemtohave

theaestheticsorhandlingofa side-by-side.

“I’ve worked with the sporting artist

Jonathan Pointertodesignallthe engrav-

ingworkandthetwogunswillbethemed

‘Field’ and ‘Woodland’.In additionto the

main plate engraving,which ispinless to

givetheengraverasmuchscopeaspossible

to engrave withoutcompromising design,

the guns will have floor plates featuring

moorlandandmarsh,whichareotherpas-

sionsofmine.AndyMileswillengravethe

gunsandI’mverymuchhopingtobeable

toshootsomelateseason stuff with them.

We’llseeontiming.”

Pointer is a realist painter celebrating

wildlife and wildlife habitat, particularly

vegetation. I asked about the huge chal-

lengesinvolvedincreatingsmalldesignsfor

shotguns.“Tradingcanvasformetalneeded

someseriousconsideration.Withnocolour

available, tone became veryimportant to

givethegunplatedepthbutthisshadinghad

tobereplicablefortheengraver’stools.Fine

lines thatcontouredthesubjectsandsub-

tlehatchingmarksworkedbestandwould

allowtheengravertorecreatemydesigns.”

Milesturnedtogunengravingaftertime

atMedwayCollegeofDesignthenasa com-

mercialartist.Heisentirelyself-taught.As

wellasWilliamEvans,hehasengravedguns

formuchofthefineLondontrade,includ-

ing Boss,H&H,WatsonBrothers andJohn

Rigby. He sites Harry Morris, Harry Kell

Toplef t :Pointer’sartworkforthelockplates

Toprightandabove:gunengraver Andy Miles at

work on the client’s guns