Wow. Looks to be in incredible unmollested condition. Can't you just see someone finding that in some recently deceased grandpas closet and carting it into Cabelas and asking "is this gun worth anything?"...

I noticed that too Rich, but it has the fleur de lis of the grade 5 and higher guns. I would say it may simply be early B or the whim of the checkerer. It looks original to me.

I believe what you are seeing is a moir'e pattern in the reduced image. When the image is scaled up to its full size the checkering looks much finer, although a bit irregular.
The checkering on the grip looks more like a "C" grade pattern, but this is an early gun so maybe the "B" flourish was not established yet.

John Harvard's BH 57551 is almost a duplicate---same checkering pattern and engraving.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/album.p...pictureid=4516

This gun is right as rain and the case is a Parker case although I haven't looked it up in a catalog yet. My question number one is "Was this gun in the Gun Library list?". I assume it was in a store and not yet listed in the "Gun Library" when the buyer found it. Am I right or wrong?

I found it in Columbus, OH. store don't know if it was listed or not. Just stopped by and saw it on the rack (gun library). I wasn't sure if it was a parker case or not, but thought it was purchased at same time as gun. #59426 made 1890. The checkering may look large because it has little to no wear at all. It looks just about like my other BH gun. It does have skeleton butt plate too with some wear on the checkering. I take it this was a great find from the discussions and offers to buy the gun.

Art: great find on a great gun and case. It just lets us know that they are still out there. I have a phone no. For a gentleman that has a BHE 20 ga. That he wants to sell so will see how this turns out. Thomas

Really nice find Art. Congratulations.:bowdown:

BH in case shown here 2014
 

Edit by John D.

Please do post it in the For Sale Forum - not here.

Thank you and have a wonderful evening,

John

Very nice gun Art. Congratulations on your find. I see that you are located in Indiana. You should give some consideration in coming to the Hoosier SxS Classic in August ??