The History and Art of the American Gun

Engravers and embellishers of arms are the stars of this loving tribute to the artistry of firearms.

R. L. Wilson, historical consultant to the Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc. has aided the various Colt museums in Hartford, Connecticut since 1959, and is a freelance consultant and author in the fields of firearms, collecting, and engraving. His career began with intern positions at the Royal Armouries, H.M. Tower of London, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Wadsworth Antheneum, where he was appointed curator of firearms in 1962. He is president of the Armor and Arms Club of New York and has served on advisory boards or as consultant on arms related subjects to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the U.S. Historical Society, the U.S.. Marshals Service, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Firearms Museum in Washington, D.C. and is consultant on American Arms to Christie's, the international auction house.Wilson was born in Minnesota and studied history and art as a scholarship student at Carleton College. A resident of Connecticut, he is the author of more than 25 books and 200 articles on firearms and their embellishment.