I kinda like the slash marks, particularly at that price. Maybe they represent every time he broke a hundred straight. :)

Other than to make it your life quest to disagree with me, I can’t believe adding about six lines would look WAY out of place.

The pattern could be extended to cover the marks. It would be more than 6 lines though.
The marks would have to be filled first since they are so deep. Yes, the pattern would be different than typical V grade BTFE patterns. But the average person would not know.

It would help if they actually made the cuts parallel to the checkering.

Or add a few brass tacks and it could be tribal folk art. Or a WF stamp, cut the barrels down and it could be number of completed stagecoach service missions.

I think I would leave it as is.

If I were to pick THAT gun up for that price, I would consider the hash marks as a sign from God!

What would be super cool is if a letter on this gun specified two lines forward of the forend checkering parallel to the end of the checkering, left and right.

I think if you sent the forend to Marc Larson he might simply make them disappear.

http://https://www.marklarsongunart.com/

PML

Double ditto......if you wanted them gone..

Thomas your gun needs the comb flatten/ straightened, the front of the comb @ the wrist needs to be reshaped to duplicate Parker manufacture, the Sunburst pad replaced, a complete refinish, and those hideous scares removed from the BTF. By making replacement wood dowels that closely match the forend wood and milling grooves with a ball endmill and a little Testors enamel you can have a near perfect repair. This is no original idea but rather utilizing the repairs others have employed. I have witnessed plugs in 2 high grade Lefevers becoming lose after stripping the wood. Also Rich Beyer in his L.C. Smith book relates a story of the gunmakers in Fulton presented a gun to a customer that had 10 plugs in it and the customer thought it to be perfect.