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PAULIUS

Bearcat
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
13
Location
Westville, CT
When in 1980 my wife, 7 years old daughter and I came to USA with almost zero english, $400.- in our pocket, and handful of tools, naturally I was desperate for work. As a jewelry designer back in Lithuania I hope to find something at 47-th Street in NYC, but $800.- for ounce of gold at this time cooled me down.
Than old friend, working at Metropolitan Museum, formerly head of Hermitage Armory, Leonid Tarassuk, had contacted me, he called his friend Larry Wilson, asking for help and Larry talled that indeed, Bill Ruger looking for engraver. The meeting has been scheduled, Ruger asked, if I have experience in guns - sure I have (it was a white lie, I had experience in engraving, gold inlay jewelry, but it was a high crime to work privately with the guns in USSR).
Than Bill Ruger gave me the Red Label in white, $3K in advance and asked me to try.
I was scared do death, but, having no choice, came back to Brooklyn apartment, purchase half ounce of gold and silver, fiev more tools and started my new career. My wife got a job at a sweat shop and we were doing well. After steamy summer the shotgun has been finished. Ruger has approved it and propose a position at Southport facility as an only Company engraver on payroll. The rest is a history, I spend 11 years at SR till they close the Southport factory after introduction of Conn. state taxes, than three years worked with Larry Wilson on numerous Colts, than moved to the jewelry design, creating Lantuch Inc.. When 9/11 hit the jewelry business, I came back to the guns and, after old Ruger death, in 2003 Bill Ruger junior asked me to organize a Studio of Engraving at almost empty Southport building.
A lot of ambitious guns has been engraved at this Studio, three bench engravers has been taught on the basics of the trade, than in 2006 the Board of Directors has decided to change all traditions and shot down the Studio. Next day I had contacted Toni Galazan and started to collaborate with him and with fiev other customers. Here we are today.

The picture of my first gun, 22K Gold, Fine Silver and stock carving:

img427.jpg

DSCN9054.jpg
 

d findley

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
212
Location
lubbock, tx
I have admired your work featured in Wilson's Ruger book. The Ruger Studio engraved a gun for me in 2005. It is one of by most treasured Rugers. No doubt you will be remembered as one of the great engravers of our time. I am glad you are still working.
 

BlackEagle

Blackhawk
Joined
May 8, 2009
Messages
882
Location
NC
So the gold "Lantuch style engraving" on the 1 of 500 50th Anniversary Blackhawks and the 50th Alaska Statehood Anniversary Super Blackhawks must have been done by you and the three bench engravers (approximately 1000 guns in less than 3 years.) I think Ruger really "missed the boat" by ending that program.
DSCN9054.jpg
 

M'BOGO

Buckeye
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
1,952
Location
METRO DETROIT
I have to say, much time has been spent drooling over photos of that Red Label. Thank you for bringing so much beauty into the world, and hope you continue to prosper.

Hopefully one of your works will rest under my roof.
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
All said above, fascinationg story, and indeed, great work......nice touch and we too like that style of engraving..........very nice and THANK YOU for sharing with us...............I 've known Tony Galazan for many years now, through the OGCA and my engraver friend ,Tony Tuscano is still doing work for them at Conn. Gun Co.....................they sell some awesome guns.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2011
Messages
1,457
Location
Arizona
Hi Paul, beautiful work and interesting story of coming to America and meeting Mr. Ruger. I hope that you enjoy yourself here and look forward to other amazing work by you

Thanks!

Jeff from Austin, Texas :D
 

PAULIUS

Bearcat
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
13
Location
Westville, CT
Thank you all :D !

To BlackEagle:
I do not believe the 1000 guns you are talking about some how connected to me. On one point Company loose an interest to hand engraved custom guns and I made a pattern for contractors with pantograph technology. The idea was, my bench engraver has to retouch machine made ornaments, at list six revolvers a day per person, in reality it turned to three a day, not enough to catch up with commissions. I still has been engaged with one of a kind custom peaces, but the management forced me to do the same work as the rest of the team. Of course retouching six guns a day is not a big challenge , but it was to expensive for the Company to keep me occupied with this entry level job. One day Studio marketing manager, son in law of late Tom Ruger, and I were asked to come to the meeting and a company lawyer announce our lay out. Few month before Bill junior has been released to retirement, the Studio was his idea. Two of my engravers has been moved to Barons Technology for finishing all remaining commissions. Have no idea, what they are doing now and do not want to know. One of them has been very instrumental in destroying our Studio.

Here is a photo of my last Ruger, Two Millionth Blackhawk, finished one month before layout.

em_MG_0009.jpg


_emRUGER.jpg


em_MG_0030.jpg
 

PAULIUS

Bearcat
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
13
Location
Westville, CT
Looks like I'm doing something wrong with my photos.
It's opens all files from Photobucket sight when I'm attempting to move a photo to the topic.
Want to prevent it!!!
 

M. HALL

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
84
Location
Massachusetts
PAULIS,

Your work is stunning! Thank you for sharing.

Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 11:16 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looks like I'm doing something wrong with my photos.
It's opens all files from Photobucket sight when I'm attempting to move a photo to the topic.
Want to prevent it!!!

When you post from Photobucket and use the Thumbsize link you are connecting via the URL to your site.

Use the IMG code and that is all that will show.
I hope that this helps.

Take care,

Matt
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,142
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
I too will say that I have truly enjoyed reading these posts.
On a very serious note, I'd like to think we have a golden opportunity (pun intended) to get a lot of details on true Ruger history, directly from the man who was there before more of it is lost.
Paul, I hope you will take the time to share as much about working at Sturm, Ruger & Co with us as you can.
Future collectors will appreciate you a lot.
 
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