Obnoxious? Strong term, and since we are talking subjective issues here, let's step back for a second. Hey, I can send you a bunch of photos of the wood on German and Austrian guns that make them look like a totem pole done by a three year old on acid. Some of my friends find them high art. I find them ugly beyond belief. Of course my wife thinks my taste in music (I used to play oboe in a chamber group in college) is one step above self abuse, while I think her choice of music (country and western) is nauseating. One man's passion is another man's (or woman's) posion. Dave (However, as I think I said above, if I was to order a Purdey, I'd go with the more traditional Purdey style rose and scroll. You can get a much cheaper gun with what looks like the type of engraving on this Purdey for a whole let less. My opinion of course, but the one above is not to my taste.)