Thanks Barry for the great info and pics!
I'll add a bit.
here are a few pics of a "Bailey" double percussion set of lockplates I restored the engraving on a while back. I'm guessing they are from the mid 1800's. You see a lot of the open, no background scroll type of work on early colts, esp. the Patterson models. The Colt engraving was not like this though.
I was also very interested in the early vine caving you showed. The vine and leaf motif is becoming a favorite of mine. I've seen it on a Swiss Militia rifle from around 1830, on up through Colt handguns into the early 20th century.
Here is a version I did on a Winchester 1873, adapted from an original engraving found on an 1894 rifle.
Thanks for a great thread!
take care,
Tom