Bertram Edmonston IV is originally from Frederick, Maryland, an agricultural community on the

edge of the Appalachian Mountains. Immediately after graduating high school, Bert began

working in his family’s custom retail jewelry store. During this time period he earned the

prestigious GIA Graduate Gemologist title.

Seeing the need to learn how to create custom jewelry, Bertram learned traditional and modern techniques for creating jewelry. It was at this time he began taking his expertise at fine diamond setting in a new direction. He attended some engraving classes at the GRS training center in Kansas and with Mike Dubber in Indiana. Mike encouraged Bertram to try his skills on a firearm project.Bertram enjoyed the larger space firearms offered for gold inlays and scroll engraving.

 Havingbeen strongly influenced by Dubber, Bertram primarily works on Colts and other custom handguns.

In 2014 Bertram decided to make firearms engraving his sole occupation. His wife’s career

relocated them to Colorado. They only lived there for a little more than 2 years, relocating

multiple times and now residing in the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area.

Bertram has enjoyed success working with some of the finest gun makers in America, most

notably Nighthawk Custom, Kolar, and fine custom guild gunmakers. In 2019 Bertram had

some serious problems with is back, resulting in extensive surgery. Since then Bertram has

worked almost exclusively on one of a kind commissions for individual clients, often in concert with custom gunmakers.

His work is easily recognizable with his use of 24k gold to execute high relief, sculpted, realistic game animals, figures and special motifs in themed artworks. In addition his signature scroll engraving utilizing bold bright cuts, various background techniques, and fine shading create a feast for the eye to consume. His scroll is constantly evolving in more complex structures and shading techniques.

In addition to handguns, Bertram highly enjoys working on shotguns. His experience with wing shooting and clay target sports shows in his masterful renditions of waterfowl, upland gamebirds and elaborate scenes.