News & Events
January 18, 2025
ROOTS OF AFRICA
It is always again an experience for us, a deep exhale, when such a large theme project is completed. We become wistfully aware of how precious and limited such items are, all solely dependent on human ressources – the combined effort of worldbest artisans, gunsmiths, stockmaker, saddler, tool and case maker – and the creative crew, designers, engraver, often goldsmiths. It makes us active participants in preserving fragile human skills and artistic talent for generations to come.
THE ELEPHANT. A BigGame .416 bolt action rifle, themed to the largest mammal on earth, with photorealistic, deep relief engraving of the animal’s skin texture covering all metal parts. Archaic symbols of ancient hunters inlaid in gold remind of the dawning of mankind. The rifle is embedded in an exquisite smoky blue elephant case with handcrafted tools & accessories of fossilized mammoth material, all 24k gold-plated. Opening the lid the observer’s eye is met by an oil on wood painting of an elephant bull, result of our long year relationship with wildlife artist Rudi Kohl.
The level of quality here is no coincidence but the result of a long-year trustful collaboration between the Fanzoj team and one great metal artist of our time, Ritchi Maier, whose attention to detail and virtuous mix of deep-carved technique with the finest bulino is unmatched in quality and effect.
We remember our first joint project Lionfire (2005), where we broke with the classic hunting engraving for the first time and, in absence of any ornament, let individual parts of the animal’s body speak in strong black and white contrasts. It became a reference point for Ritchi Maier’s unmistakable style.
Thank you to our customers who enable us to continuously push borders.
“Documenting the creation of a large project … a unique experience between us and the client … what remains is the memory, that we have walked part of the path together.”
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