I'm hoping Miss Silvera doesn't send this to "The Range", but these aren't firearms, just cool works of art.

I wonder what wonders occurred or were made in our human history that we know nothing about?  I hate to admit to learning something from the interweb, but this is waaaay cool.  I simply cannot imagine the thought and workmanship that goes into something like this.  I guess it's just a fancy music box, but, geeeee whizzzz..................

http://www.christies.com/singing-bird-pistols-en-1422-3.aspx

Pretty cool....

Wonder where the magazine goes  LOL!

Those are incredible, what beautiful works of art!

Made in 1820, I can't imagine the work that went into these to make those birds move and sing the way they do.

Sweet Mercy!
I can hardly believe my eyes. When is the last time you saw anything made with that level of attention to detail?
In this era of Thomas Kincade prints and injection molded plastic "sculpture" original art as a whole has become secondary to it having the currently trendy manufacturers logo. And mechanical art in particular has suffered.

Interestingly, motorcycles buck the trend...

Leave it to the French to devise a set of pistols guarenteed to lose at a duel

OK, a little humor is allowed!  Truly masterfull works of art.

Leave it to the French to devise a set of pistols guarenteed to lose at a duel

Almost expect little white flags to pop out...   

Can you imagine the number of man hours that went into these things? Hand cutting all the gears and wheels and what not?

The work of true master craftsmen.

I showed this vid to my wife and at first she was like, 'No, I don't want to see another video from your motorcycle forum'. Her jaw dropped and she changed her tune right quick like.

Things like this go to show what you can accomplish if you don't spend the day surfing the interweb, watch the idiot box, working for an idiot, or a giant idiotic corporation, etc.  If you WORK from dawn to dusk at ONE thing, you can get things done (not that I would know).  We as a society and as individuals seldom have that luxury anymore, but there are those rare few who build things like 1/3 scale Ferraris, etc.  I can't find time to change my oil and do laundry.  Even more remarkable when you consider the tooling they had available at that time.  Nothing powered, all by hand, no micrometers for tiny critical measurements, even magnifying glasses, etc. were crude by today's standards.  And no artificial lighting except oil or kerosene lamps.  Just a good eye and steady hands. 

Things like this go to show what you can accomplish if you don't spend the day surfing the interweb, watch the idiot box, working for an idiot, or a giant idiotic corporation, etc.  If you WORK from dawn to dusk at ONE thing, you can get things done (not that I would know).  We as a society and as individuals seldom have that luxury anymore, but there are those rare few who build things like 1/3 scale Ferraris, etc.  I can't find time to change my oil and do laundry.  Even more remarkable when you consider the tooling they had available at that time.  Nothing powered, all by hand, no micrometers for tiny critical measurements, even magnifying glasses, etc. were crude by today's standards.  And no artificial lighting except oil or kerosene lamps.  Just a good eye and steady hands.

Ya left out a key ingredient.  Passion for perfection, without it, they would be mediocre at best.