Never say Never . . . :shock:

I learn something new every day here. Until now I have not seen or heard of a Grade 0 with that kind of engraving. Oh well, live and learn.

I suspect that Parker used partially finished Grade 2 receivers to make Grade 1 and Grade 0 guns. In addition to my Grade 1 with obvious Grade 2 features, I have seen others in the same serial number range as mine with similar features. Two Grade 1s with Grade 2 engraving but with an empty, unengraved circle on the bottom or the receiver were also built with Damascus barrels. The Parker Story does mention a small number of Grade 1 hammer guns with Damascus barrels.

I have read somewhere, maybe it was Austin who wrote it, that the barrel steel determined the grade - Stub Twist and Twist being Grade 0; Laminated Steel being Grade 1; Damascus Steel being Grade 2 and above. After all, a Parker could be ordered with any number of upgrades and options but not (to my knowledge) barrel steel. So a Grade 0 with Twist barrels ordered with extra engraving or built on a Grade 2 frame as Bill suggests was certainly possible.

Forget what I posted above. I just re-read the Research letter on my 'unfired' 16 ga. top action hammer gun with Laminated Steel barrels and it is identified as a 0-Grade. As EDM used to say "investigation continues . . ."

My Grade 1 is shown in the Stock Book as a Grade 1, even though it has Damascus barrels. There is a Grade 0 hammer gun in the books with Bernard barrels, and also a similar gun with Damascus barrels.

Like I said, "Forget what I posted above". And with the examples you provide Bill, I'll reiterate - Forget what I posted above.

There are 12 DH guns with Vulcan barrels and a few hundred CHs with Titanic barrels. So if the designated type of steel was determinative of the grade of gun these guns would be VH (0 grade) and DH (3 grade), respectively. The type steel (usually) tells you what the gun is...except in lower grade late hammerguns then the price charged gives one a better clue. Hover, the DH 8 bore I bought yesterday letters as a GH because that is what the customer ordered. The gun is marked "3" on the barrels flats and the Damascus is obviously D3 in quality. The watertable is marked "3" and the checkering is DH on english walnut and the gun has a skeleton buttplate factory stamped with the serial number. The engraving is pure D grade but for the substitution of two different scenes of 4 ducks (aka "aka flying turnips") each in each side panel in place of the usual pointer and setter with 4 more ducks on the floorplate panel. Mark Conrad speculates and I agree the Parker filled an order for a GH 8 bore with a DH that was either in progress or in stock due to a cancelled order. They charged the original owner a GH price and he got a full blown upgrade. Dean is right...never say never...

Don, sounds like a helluva find hope when you find time we see a few pictures. Sounds like it could make the calender.