Bruce, the key to the grade is the price paid. It certainly is unusual.

Stunning!!! 3 pin with sculptered bolsters and bursts. Interesting 4 sure u say.

it is a WOW! Grade

Going strictly by the checkering pattern of the forend, my opinion is that it is a ....

Damascus barrels were used on lower grades such as Grade 1 so the fact that it has Damascus barrels is no determinating factor... And it has no game scenes, which, by the specific scene is usually a determining factor on later guns... And we don't know what the price was so that is not a determining factor... so I'll go with my gut and stick with the forend checkering pattern and call it a ...

Grade 2!!

I think it's a Quality 1 with the nice engraving,

Grade 2++

One word. Wow!

Why is it stamped U on the watertable? A U-Grade should be a Twist barreled, straight grip, 12-, 14-, 16- or 20-gauge gun?!? A pistol grip 10-gauge with Damascus barrels like this gun should be a E-Grade.

You see why the question was asked. Jack Puglisi thought it was a U grade based on the frame stamp but that doesn't agree with the 1882 catalog description. I agree its a grade 2 gun but whatever the condition is extraordinary. People responded here who know their Parkers

The caption for Figure 3 on page 9 of the Parker serialization "book" states the following:

"Marks "U" and "x" (on the watertable) are sometimes found on guns in this serial range (13900 shown) but are not understood."

The gun featured in this thread is #13739. There is also an "x" next to the U.