The Finest Shotguns In The World

This is a custom-made ("bespoke", the Brits say) Fabbri 12-gauge over/under shotgun. An "entry-level" (ha!) Fabbri, with no engraving, costs about $85,000. The "pinless" models, with all of the action pins hidden, cost more. A pinless sidelock is a perfect palette for an engraver. Engraving can nearly double the cost of the shotgun. The engraving above is basic "rose and scroll" on a pinless action. The model below is one half of a matched pair with "gothic fantasy" engraving on a pinless action. The asking price for the pair is $395,000.

The photo-realistic engraving technique shown below is called "bulino" or "bank note", similar to the techniques used to create plates for printing paper currencies. Custom engraving is a cottage industry in Italy, and some of the finest engravers are young women who are inheriting their fathers' trade.

The stocks are nice, too. The wood blank for this stock probably costs more than my car.